The Hindu : Front Page : Pratibha Patil is UPA-Left Presidential candidate

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Friday, Jun 15, 2007
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Pratibha Patil is UPA-Left Presidential candidate

Special Correspondent

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh played a major role in choosing a nominee agreeable to the Left parties

— Photos: V.Sudershan, Rajasthan Patrika

FOR CONSENSUS: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, flanked by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, holds consultations with leaders of the alliance partners and Left parties at his residence in New Delhi on Thursday. To Ms. Gandhi's right is External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

NEW DELHI: For 48 hours, it was eyeball to eyeball between the Congress and the Left parties, and Sonia Gandhi blinked first. Faced with the Left opposition to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil's candidature, the Congress proposed Rajasthan Governor Pratibha Devisingh Patil as the United Progressive Alliance's nominee for President.

After a series of consultations the Congress had with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi and the Left parties, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi announced the UPA candidate on Thursday evening at 7 Race Course Road.

Ms. Gandhi said it would be a matter of great privilege for the country to have a woman President in the 60th year of Independence. "It is a matter of pride and a historic moment in the 60th year of our Republic. We will have to set up a coordination committee [for her election]."

Her brief statement came in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr. Karunanidhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar, and Left leaders Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, A.B. Bardhan, D. Raja and Abani Roy.

Ms. Patil was a member of the Maharashtra Assembly between 1962 and 1985, and she held several portfolios. She was also the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly between 1979 and 1980, and had a term each in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

Ms. Patil, who is married to Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat, is expected to take on Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is keen on contesting the Presidential polls.

After Ms. Gandhi's announcement, Mr. Pawar made it a point to mention that Ms. Patil was also a Shekhawat, a comment that drew laughter among the gathering. Congress managers emphasised that Dr. Singh played a major role in choosing a name that was agreeable to the Left parties.

A grand show of unity

The choice of Ms. Patil won instant across-the-board support from the Left parties.

After their first choice — Pranab Mukherjee — was rejected by the Congress leadership on the grounds that he could not be spared from the Government, the Left leaders shot down the candidature of Mr. Patil who, they thought, would prove unequal in a contest against Mr. Shekhawat.

The impasse continued as the Congress leadership sought to enlist the support of other UPA constituents who agreed to back a UPA candidate without getting into discussing names.

Early on Thursday, Mr. Karat, Mr. Bardhan, and Mr. Raja called on Mr. Karunanidhi and conveyed to him that they were unwilling to accept the candidature of Mr. Patil or Karan Singh, whose name was also suggested during informal meetings.

Rajasthan Governor Pratibha Patil.

The turnaround came when Dr. Singh and Ms. Gandhi invited the Left leaders for consultations. At this meeting, the Left leaders reiterated that they could not agree to the nomination of either Mr. Patil or Dr. Karan Singh. The Congress leadership on its part did not mention the third name — Sushil Kumar Shinde.

The Left leaders then suggested two other names — Union Minister Arjun Singh and Congress treasurer Motilal Vora — but the Congress leadership felt that their health rendered them ineligible.

Mr. Raja suggested that they look for a woman candidate, an idea that was instantly picked up by Dr. Singh and agreed to by Ms. Gandhi, said sources privy to the discussions.

Dr. Singh then suggested the name of Ms. Patil; Mr. Bardhan, who hails from Nagpur, at once accepted the proposal and even recounted the political career of both Ms. Patil and her husband, a Rajput, and recalled that he had served as Mayor of Amravati.

(Sources in the Prime Minister's office said separately that last week Dr. Singh got prepared a list of 10 top women in the country, just in case... ) The exercise was carried out following reports that the Left parties were against Mr. Patil.

The Left leaders suggested that the other UPA partners be taken on board. Immediately thereafter, Ahmed Patel, political secretary to the Congress president, called on Mr. Karunanidhi at Tamil Nadu House to convey the new name. Between then and 6.30 p.m., everything else was lined up for a grand show of unity of the coalition and supporting partners.

Meanwhile, Mr. Abani Roy said the Revolutionary Socialist Party's Central Committee meeting from June 19 to 21 would take a stand on the election.

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