The Hindu : National : I will live up to glorious traditions, says Pratibha

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Wednesday, Jul 11, 2007
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I will live up to glorious traditions, says Pratibha

Special Correspondent

Photo: PTI

CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil with Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Union Minister for Steel, Chemicals and Fertilizer Ramvilas Paswan and Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Rabri Devi at the Patna airport on Tuesday.

PATNA: United Progressive Alliance-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil on Tuesday said she was quite aware of the eminence of the top post and the responsibilities attached to it.

Addressing MPs and MLAs of the UPA and the Left parties in Bihar here, Ms. Patil said she would rise to the glorious traditions of the Constitutional post despite the attempts being made to tarnish her image.

Ms. Patil said July 19 would be a momentous day in the history of the country should she get elected. She promised to work for the empowerment of women.

Presenting a united front, both Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, and Union Steel Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan said the election process was a mere formality. For, the UPA candidate would win by a huge margin of over two lakh votes, particularly now that a section of the third front decided to abstain from voting.

They questioned the secular credentials of the Janata Dal (United) as it was supporting Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, a staunch Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh man.

On the other hand, Bhartiya Janata Party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad charged the Congress with wanting to have “a rubber stamp” in the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Discounting charges of mud-slinging, he stressed that the issues raised were based on High Court proceedings and institutional reports.

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