Pratibha Patil, seen here, a 72-year-old
lawyer, was set to be declared India's first woman president
Saturday.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery
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Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi (C) casts
her vote in presidential election in New Delhi, 19 July. (Xinhua/AFP
Photo) Photo Gallery
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NEW DELHI, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Pratibha Patil, former
Rajasthan Governor, was elected as India's first woman president on Saturday in
a contest in which she beat current Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.
The 72-year-old Patil, born in the Indian
southwestern state of Maharashtra, got a vote value of 638,116 against
83-year-old Shekhawat's 331,306 votes value in the most bitterly contested
presidential election. To many people's surprise, Patil's tally was 11,000 more
than expected.
After winning the presidential election, Patil's
supporters held various kinds of celebration activities, singing and dancing in
some areas of India.
Patil said, "I am grateful to the people of India,
man or woman. And this is a victory of principles."
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia
Gandhi said that it was a special moment for Indian women, adding that she would
extend her thanks to the coalition who supported Patil.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minster Manmohan Singh said
that Patil's victory was in favor of unity for this nation. And Lok Sabha (Lower
House of Indian Parliament) Speaker Somnath Chatterjee also congratulated the
victory of President-elect Patil.
At the same time, the outgoing President A.P.J. Abdul
Kalam said that any new president would bring core competency to a nation with
one billion population.
Patil, who is to succeed Kalam, will be sworn in on
July 25 at the Central Hall of Parliament.
In June, the UPA, the ruling alliance of political
parties in India headed by the Congress party, and the Left Front nominated
Patil as their candidate for the 13th Presidential Election.
Meanwhile, Shekhawat is backed by the UPA rival
opposition National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The counting of votes for the presidential poll
started at 11:00 a.m. local time on Saturday. The first ballot box was opened at
the counting center at Parliament House by Returning Officer P. D.T. Achary.
A total of 682 Members of Parliament (MPs) and 3,755
Members of Local Assemblies (MLAs) cast their ballots. The value of an MP's vote
is 708 while that of an MLA depends on the basis of the population of a
state.
NEW DELHI, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Pratibha Patil, former
Rajasthan Governor, was elected India's first woman President after beating Vice
President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on Saturday. Full
story
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