Explained: How BJP’s Win Will Impact Presidential Elections

President Pranab Mukherjee. (Photo: Reuters)

There’s another election coming up in 2017, and it’s advantage BJP.

President Pranab Mukherjee’s term is set to expire on 24 July 2017; and with their massive win in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is all set to call the shots on naming the next president. Here’s how:

1. Wait, So The BJP Is Going To Pick The President?

Presidents in India are elected through an electoral college, which consists of elected members of the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and the legislative assemblies of every state and Union Territory. Here’s where things get complicated.

Every MLA of a state is given a fixed number of votes, which is proportional to the population of the state. Now, out of 10,98,882 votes in the electoral college, Uttar Pradesh has 83,824 votes. This means that the BJP, thanks to its clean sweep in Uttar Pradesh, is in a comfortable position to influence the appointment of the next Indian president.

2. What About The Vice-President?

While the President is elected through an electoral college, the Vice-President is chosen by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari’s term is set to expire on 10 August 2017 and since the BJP is in power in the Centre, it can comfortably influence this decision too.

3. Is The BJP Now in Power Everywhere?

Pretty much.

There are eight states in India with a BJP government – Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Furthermore, the BJP is in power through an alliance in five states – Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland and Sikkim.

A strong presence in these states, coupled with a majority government at the Centre, puts the BJP in a very strong position. And the assembly elections results, especially in Uttar Pradesh, have just strengthened their numbers nationally.

4. So, What Next for the BJP?

The Assembly election results have given the BJP a huge majority in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Their potential next moves could include working to pacify their former ally, Shiv Sena, and making inroads into Tamil Nadu. But even if the saffron party has other plans in mind, the Modi wave in Uttar Pradesh implies only one thing: that when the Presidential elections come around, all eyes will be fixed on the BJP.