MPCC elated over Pratibha Patil's candidature for President

Mumbai, Jun 14 (UNI) Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) today expressed joy and satisfaction over the nomination of Rajasthan Governor and former PCC chief Pratibha Patil as the UPA candidate for the office of President of India.

Speaking to UNI, MPCC president Prabha Rau said, ''As a Maharashtrian woman and a loyal Congress worker, I am extremely happy over the UPA choice of Pratibha Patil as the Presidential candidate. Under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, UPA has empowered women and provided them opportunities in decision-making.'' ''When I first became an MLA in 1972, 'Pratibhatai' was already an MLA and minister in the state government. We went on to work in the state government in various capacities as ministers and fellow party workers,'' Ms Rau said.

Senior leader from North Maharashtra Rohidas Patil described Mrs Patil as an efficient and able administrator. She was an MLA from Jalgaon and MP from Amravati, which is her home after marriage to Dr Devisingh Shekhawat, and also headed the state unit of Congress between 1988 and 1989 before becoming the Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha.

Mrs Patil's daughter-in-law Manjiri Shekhawat told UNI, ''the entire family is proud and excited at the prospect of Pratibhatai becoming the first woman President of India. At present, she is the only lady Governor. We are confident that she will win the election.'' Speaking to UNI over telephone from Jalgaon, Babasaheb Patil, the younger brother of Mrs Patil, said it was a matter of great pride not only to their family and Jalgaon district but for the entire state.

''If she is elected, it will be a historic moment as India will have her first woman President. Her chequered political career began in 1962. She was elected to the Maharashtra assembly five times once from Jalgaon city and later from Edalabad (now Muktainagar). She was also an MP from Amravati. Pratibhatai was never defeated in the elections she had contested,'' he added.

UNI