Pratibha Patil to visit Assam for votes

UPA's presidential nominee arrives in Assam on a day-long visit to drum up support for election to the country's highest office.

Presidential nominee of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Pratibha Patil is arriving in Assam on a day-long visit on Friday to drum up support for election to the country's highest office.

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The ruling Congress party in Assam is holding a rally in Guwahati of all its elected representatives, besides lawmakers of the Bodoland People's Progressive Front, the Nationalist Congress Party, and the Left parties.

"Patil will be seeking support from the lawmakers in the meeting," Assam Congress party president Bhubaneswar Kalita told IANS.

Patil, a former Governor of Rajasthan, is pitted against Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, an independent candidate backed by the National Democratic Alliance.

Elections are due on July 19.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Shourie earlier visited Guwahati to garner support for Shekhawat and lashed out at Patil for being a candidate with an allegedly "tarnished image".