Pratibha Patil to file papers on June 23

New Delhi, June 17: UPA-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil will file her nomination on June 23 for the July 19 election.

This was announced here today by Mr Prithviraj Chauhan, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office.

Mrs Patil, who is at present Governor of Rajasthan, will resign the gubernatorial post before filing her nomination papers, Mr Chauhan told sources.

Mrs Patil, who emerged as a consensus candidate of the UPA and the Left parties, has already been pledged the support by the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Her most likely opponent will be Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is slated to contest as a NDA-supported independent candidate.

Mrs Patil today called on former Prime Minister V P Singh and senior party leader and former Union Minister Karan Singh, who was defeated in the race to secure the nomination for the post.

UNI