'No murmurs over Pratibha candidature in Cong'

New Delhi June 23: As UPA-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil filed her nomination papers, the Congress today maintained that there was no sense of bitterness or disappointment among the party leaders who were in the race but ultimately had to pave the way for a person who is likely to become the first woman President.

''This has been amply demonstrated today by the presence of all the Party leaders whose names figured during discussions to finalise a party candidate,'' Senior Congress leader Ambika Soni told UNI, drawing attention towards the presence of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde while she filed her nomination papers before Returning Officer P D T Achary.

''Our candidate will win the Presidential poll with her hands down,'' she said, adding that this could be sensed from the fact that Ms Patil was today accompanied by a host of Cabinet ministers, heads of various political parties, Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states, MPs, and MLAs. Many independent MPs and MLAs have also accompanied her, expressing their solidarity with her.

Ms Soni, Minister for Tourism and Culture in the Manmohan Singh government, asserted that though many names were considered during the exercise to identify the ''most acceptable'' candidate, it did not mean that they were rejected subsequently.

''It is not true that certain names were rejected. Indeed, the discussions did take place on various names,'' she said, adding that this would have to be a practice in a coalition set-up.

Asked if there was any internal bickerings in the party in the wake of ''rejection'' of Mr Mukherjee, Mr Shinde and Mr Patil, She dismissed the question saying that there would not be any negative impact on the prospects of Ms Patil.

On the chances of Ms Patil winning the elections, Ms Soni said the party had made it clear, right from the beginning that it was fully convinced of a victory of Ms Patil because of the combined effort of the Congress, UPA, Left, BSP and others. ''The arithmatic is in our favour.'' ''However, the Opposition sought to play tricks in between and tried to create a murky atmosphere.'' On the proposal of the Third Front to give a second term to President A P J Abdul Kalam, she said the high office of the President had been dragged to unnecessary speculation and controversy.

Asked if the UPA foresee any ''tough challenge'' from another probable candidate, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, she retorted asking ''What kind of a challenge?'' On the allegations that Ms Patil had shielded her brother in a case relating to the murder of a Congress worker in Maharashtra in 2005, Ms Soni said it was unfortunate that the decorum of Presidential election was sought to be lowered by indulging in this kind of mudslinging against a person of high stature.

''We must maintain certain level of decency and decorum and keep the Presidential election free from this type of scandalous propaganda,'' she said, reminding that the President's post is the ''face and the image of the nation.'' She refused to take questions on Dr Kalam insisting on ''certainty'' for contesting for another term.

''Let us not discuss the episode, that chappter is closed now,'' she said.

UNI

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