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June 14, 2007 
I Got A Hint Only In The Afternoon:
Pratibha Patil

Jaipur
Pratibha Patil, the consensus candidate of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and its Left allies for India's next president, said Thursday she was "honoured" to be chosen as the nominee, adding that she had been in the dark till the afternoon.

"I got a hint in the afternoon, but not earlier," said Patil, the Rajasthan governor, addressing a press conference here Thursday evening.

Wearing a cream sari with an orange border and her head covered as always, she thanked UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for selecting her, a decision that could catapult her into Rashtrapati Bhavan as India's first woman president.

Asked by newspersons whether she had ever contemplated being chosen as nominee, the veteran Congress person said that she had "never thought about it".

Patil said one of her priorities would be to bridge the disparities between the rich and poor.

"I am deeply honoured on being chosen," she said adding that it would send the right signal on the status of women.

Patil had rushed to the state capital from Mount Abu on being informed she was the UPA-Left choice for president.

IANS | June 14, 2007  

India Appears Set To Get First Woman President 
Pratibha Patil: From Ping-Pong to Presidential Palace 

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