Survey reveals women's support for Pratibha Patil

New Delhi, June 21: Amidst distinct possibility of India's Presidency losing its tag of an exclusive male bastion, an overwhelming majority of women, both urban and rural, believe that a woman President will prove beneficial for the country, reveals a survey.

As the shadow of a woman has started looming large over the Raisina Hills in the midst of deft moves and countermoves by political parties ahead of the July 19 Presidential election, 72 per cent of women featuring in the survey feel that a Lady President will be a blessing for the country and 68 per cent of them consider Rajasthan Governor Pratibha Patil as ''an absolutely suitable candidate'' for the coveted post.

The survey, conducted by Outlook magazine in tandem with C-Fore, was spread over six big cities -- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad and featured a total of 1238 women.

During the survey, they also talked at length about the role of women active in politics, and argued that women could play an important role in ''cleansing the political environment'' of the country.

Fifty-four per cent of the female respondents in the survey held that Indian women had so far been deprived of their legitimate place in politics they so genuinely deserved.

''Sixty-six per cent of the voters believe that women can play a pivotal role in cleansing the political environment which is being increasingly vitiated,'' revealed the survey.

Interestingly, the participants were quite forthright in expressing their views about the role of women active in politics.

Fifty-five per cent of the voters believed that Congress President Sonia Gandhi was the best woman politician while Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje ranked at the lowest rung.

Only 12 per cent of women voted in favour of Ms Raje as the best among women politicians.

BSP President Mayawati may have notched a spectacular electoral victory in Uttar Pradesh, but she could garner only 19 per cent of favourable votes in the survey.

Politicians like Uma Bharti, J Jayalalithaa, Brinda Karat and Sushma Swaraj were found better than Mayawati in their functioning.

After Ms Sonia Gandhi, it was BJP leader Sushma Swaraj who secured maximum support of the respondents. Ms Swaraj secured support of 36 per cent of the voters.

Sixty-one per cent of the voters believed that women could prove to be better politicians than their male counterparts. Sixty-two per cent of them also held that women politicians were more honest and dedicated as compared to men.

On the issue of the Women's Reservation Bill that has been hanging fire since decades, 72 per cent of the respondents showed confidence that it would be approved into a law in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

UNI