Pranab Mukherjee will not be a rubber stamp president but will certainly be a super prime minister. The president's office in India is ceremonious as he has to act on the advice of the prime minister and the Union cabinet, but it may not remain an office rubber-stamping the government decisions under the reign of Pranab Mukherjee, who appears all set to be elected in the July 19 elections.

The 76-year-old Mukherjee cannot give up his habit of minutely examining all papers concerning every issue before giving his decision, those working with him for years say. They say this is bound to force the government to expect his approval only after satisfying him on every major order he is asked to sign.
There should be no surprise if he is accused of behaving like a "Super PM" in days to come as he would be asking questions, using his grip on the subjects of every ministry that he has acquired while heading them or presiding over some 35 groups of ministers (GoM).

His first conflict with the government may come on the decisions taken by the cabinet committee on political affairs (CCPA) as he may demand minutes of its meetings and the background papers placed to understand the matter before signing any decisions of the CCPA.

Former presidents R Venkataraman and Zail Singh had at times sought the CCPA proceedings, but they were denied and Mukherjee knows the reasons given for refusing such requests as he has been part of the cabinet. He would use this knowledge to reject alibis and insist on the CCPA minutes if the government wants him to approve its decisions, those close to him say.

They say he would not be like the outgoing president Pratibha Patil who just signed the appointment of PG Thomas as the central vigilance commissioner (CVC) without ascertaining the divide in the selection committee despite Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj knocking at her door as a member of the committee.

The UPA government had even stopped sending minutes of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to the president. Mukherjee may ascertain his authority and demand them before approving the decisions it takes.

Senior Congress leaders say Mukherjee knows limitations of the president under the constitutional system of governance to create hurdles in the functioning of the government, but they would be happy if there is vetting of every government decision by a seasoned person like him to put a check on any wrong step.

A vigilant President can improve the quality of governance and guide the government for correctives, Congress leaders say. The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders also hope that Mukherjee in the Rashtrapati Bhawan will be more conducive to act on complaints the Opposition parties approaching the president against the government unlike the past presidents.

When prime minister Manmohan Singh acquired his office in 2004, Mukherjee felt proud in telling everyone that it was he who saw quality in him to appoint him as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in September 1982. Exactly after three decades, he will be once again be the boss of Manmohan Singh, his loyalists joke.