Rejecting opposition's allegations against UPA's Prez candidate Pratibha Patil, PM Manmohan Singh said there were "no charges" against the "outstanding" woman.
NEW DELHI: Rejecting opposition's allegations against UPA's Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said there were "no charges" against the "outstanding" woman and she deserves the top constitional post.
"I have already described the allegations as mudslinging," he told a group of women journalists during an interaction at his residence here.
"We are satisfied there are no charges against her. I am not apologetic about the choice," Singh underlined, responding to NDA's allegations against her.
Describing Patil as "an outstanding person" who is"deserving of the high office", the Prime Minister said "she is right choice and right candidate. We are hopeful of victory."
He noted that Patil had been in the political arenasince 1962 and served in various capacities, including member of Maharashtra Assembly, a minister in Maharashtra, Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha and Governor of Rajasthan for three years.
She has survived for so long, he said.
Hitting back at NDA, the Prime Minister said while UPA and Left allies were unitedly behind Patil, the opposition alliance was in a "disarray".
Taking a dig, he said Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has been associated with BJP for such a long time but now has to contest for the Presidentship as an independent candidate.
Singh also took exception to recent comments by Leader of the Opposition L K Advani that he was a "handpicked" Prime Minister.The language used by Advani is not healthy, the Prime Minister said.
"We have made sincere effort to have good relationsbetween the ruling party and the opposition. We must learn to respect each other," Singh said.
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