June 14, 2007
Sonia Announces Pratibha Patil
as UPA Candidate for President
New Delhi
Rajasthan Governor and veteran Congress leader from Maharashtra
Pratibha Patil was proposed as the ruling United Progressive
Alliance (UPA)'s candidate for the presidential post, paving the way
for her to be India's first woman head of state.
Addressing the UPA leaders and her Left allies after a meeting at
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence here, Congress president
Sonia Gandhi said: ""Through the process of consultation we have
arrived at the name of the UPA nominee, that will be Pratibha Patil."
"It is a matter of great pride for the nation that on the historic
moment of the 60th anniversary of our independence, we will have a
woman president," she announced even as Manmohan Singh along with
Congress and UPA leaders looked on.
Pointing out that the both she and the prime minister had "several
rounds" of discussions over the candidate, Gandhi said:"All of you
agreed that you would accept a Congress nominee. The prime minister
and I met with you several times to discuss the issue. "
"We will coordinate the election together," she added.
In the meeting, DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.
Karunanidhi was seated along with Manmohan Singh, Gandhi and
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee at the head of the table.
The Congress leaders, including Defence Minister A.K Antony and
Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel along with the Left
leaders, were sitting at the right side of the table, while other
UPA allies were seated on the left side.
In the electoral college comprising of MPs and legislators to elect
the president, the ruling UPA along with the Bahujan Samaj Party and
the Left holds an edge over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led
National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The NDA is yet to officially announce its candidate though Vice
President Bhairon Singh Shekawat's name was doing the rounds as an
independent candidate supported by the opposition alliance.
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