After drive against Prez’s retirement bungalow,Lt Col wants to run for Prez

An internet campaign by Patil’s daughter-in-law,along with a few supporters,aims at creating ‘social pressure’ to project Lt Col Patil as the ‘common man’s candidate for Presidential position’ by ‘getting around Pawar-Sonia duo’. Patil said that a few of his supporters have already met Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and also plan to meet NCP leader Sharad Pawar,JD (U) President Sharad Yadav and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to push for his candidature.

Talking to Newsline,Lt Col Patil said,“They are not able to find a suitable candidate for the President’s post.

With PA Sangma not getting enough backing,why not have a common man? Post the President’s retirement bungalow campaign,I have become a household name..People know me. Some of my friends in Delhi are planning to meet Sharad Yadav,Lalu Prasad to project my name. I will be more than happy to meet Sharad Pawar if he shows interest. Some of my friends in Haryana are also planning to get in touch with Pawar. Some have already met Ajit Pawar. We are slated to meet him again when he visits Khadakwasla on June 9.”

Manisha Patil,the daughter-in- law of Lt Col Patil who has been writing on Patil’s behalf in Khadakwasla said in an email,“He (Patil) is getting around to have a meeting with Sharad Pawar through a veteran who believes in our cause. If Sharad Pawar is convinced,it will be he who will take up our cause with Sonia Gandhi. After all,we have to get on the good side of the politicians diligently rather than blame them outright. We have to use them for the good of the country.”

One of Patil’s supporters has also posted an online petition pressing for the demand. “We are working on a three-pronged strategy; to get around Pawar-Sonia duo,convince the print and electronic media about our cause and create a social network with like-minded individuals. Rahul and Sonia Gandhi should take notice of it. If we reach Mrs Gandhi,we would have won half the battle. Social networking like Facebook,Twitter can get required pressure on our media which can do the wonders as it happened in President land-grab case,” says Manisha Patil.

She adds,“He is genuine,honest,sincere dedicated and quite popular with the youth and sees the dreams in their eyes…Kindly ponder over the idea of Col Patil being a commoner’s candidate for Presidentship of India since political parties are not finding a suitable one – a golden opportunity to push forth the candidature of Col Patil and if deemed fit,try circulating this idea to your friends/ families/ colleagues and also beyond the shores of this country.”