Other States - Rajasthan   

A homecoming for Pratibha

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: Pratibha Patil, the United Progressive Alliance-Left candidate for the Presidential election, on Wednesday made her first visit to the Rajasthan capital after stepping down as Governor. The visit, part of the customary tour of the Presidential candidate seeking support from the electoral college of MLAs and MPs of the respective States, proved a homecoming for her.

“Rajasthan is my home,” Ms. Patil, the daughter-in-law of the State, told an assembly of 60-odd MLAs belonging to the Congress, the Bahujan Samaj Party and Independents, besides Congress MPs including Union Ministers Sisram Ola and Namonarain Meena.

“I had the best of my time as Governor here,” Ms. Patil, a Maharashtrian by birth but married to Devi Singh Shekhawat, whose roots are from Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, said.

A notable absentee at the meeting was the lone Lok Janshakti Party MLA, Ranvir Singh Gudda.

Ms. Patil’s less than three hours stay here was made memorable not only by a very heavy downpour but also by the presence of a good number of women from Chotti Losal, the village of Dr. Devi Singh Shekhawat, in Sikar district. A large number of persons, including women, had gathered at Sanganer airport here to welcome her and lead her to the venue of the meeting near the Statue Circle.

Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice-President and Independent candidate in the Presidential election, fighting with the support of NDA, too is from Sikar district.

“Women are with Pratibha Patil. The whole of Shekhawati region wants to see her as the President,” said Prem Kanwar, Sarpanch of Chotti Losal.

Women, attired in colourful saris with chunri designs typical of Shekhawati folks, said they all had come to welcome Ms. Patil and wish her a “resounding victory”.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

A “reign of terror” in Rajasthan
A homecoming for Pratibha

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu