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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| India elects a female president | India elects a female president |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Pratibha Patil will become India's first woman president after winning a comprehensive election victory, Indian officials say. | Pratibha Patil will become India's first woman president after winning a comprehensive election victory, Indian officials say. |
| Mrs Patil, 72, won nearly two-thirds of votes cast in state assemblies and in India's parliament, they said. | Mrs Patil, 72, won nearly two-thirds of votes cast in state assemblies and in India's parliament, they said. |
| The former governor of the northern Indian state of Rajasthan described her win as "a victory of the people". | The former governor of the northern Indian state of Rajasthan described her win as "a victory of the people". |
| Mrs Patil's supporters say her election to the largely ceremonial role will be a boost to millions of Indian women. | Mrs Patil's supporters say her election to the largely ceremonial role will be a boost to millions of Indian women. |
| But correspondents say some of her critics have described her as a political lightweight. | But correspondents say some of her critics have described her as a political lightweight. |
| This is a victory for the principles which our Indian people uphold Pratibha Patil Profile: Pratibha Patil | |
| Mrs Patil emerged as a surprise, last-minute candidate after left-wing parties in the Congress-led coalition opposed the Congress Party's first choice. | Mrs Patil emerged as a surprise, last-minute candidate after left-wing parties in the Congress-led coalition opposed the Congress Party's first choice. |
| She was backed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, but was mocked by opponents and by some sections of India's media. | She was backed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, but was mocked by opponents and by some sections of India's media. |
| "I am grateful to the people of India and the men and women of India and this is a victory for the principles which our Indian people uphold," the Reuters news agency quoted her as saying. | |
| Balancing role | Balancing role |
| Mrs Patil has courted controversy, recently telling a Muslim congregation that the veil was introduced to protect their women from Mughal invaders, a comment she later retracted. | Mrs Patil has courted controversy, recently telling a Muslim congregation that the veil was introduced to protect their women from Mughal invaders, a comment she later retracted. |
| She also faced allegations that a bank she helped set up gave out cheap loans to her relatives before it folded up. | She also faced allegations that a bank she helped set up gave out cheap loans to her relatives before it folded up. |
| The Congress Party has rejected those allegations and was highly critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led opposition candidate, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, an 83-year-old party veteran. | The Congress Party has rejected those allegations and was highly critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led opposition candidate, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, an 83-year-old party veteran. |
| The presidency is largely a ceremonial post, but plays a key role with a fragmented electorate often throwing up precariously placed coalition governments. | The presidency is largely a ceremonial post, but plays a key role with a fragmented electorate often throwing up precariously placed coalition governments. |
| Around 4,500 MPs and state legislators were eligible to vote in the election. | Around 4,500 MPs and state legislators were eligible to vote in the election. |
| Mrs Patil will succeed A P J Abdul Kalam, a popular missile scientist, as president. | Mrs Patil will succeed A P J Abdul Kalam, a popular missile scientist, as president. |