145;She is our bahu and he is our son146;

It8217;s the tale of two villages and two Presidential candidates. While Bhaironsingh Shekhawat8217;s village Khachariawas has been praying fervently for his success

It8217;s the tale of two villages and two Presidential candidates. While Bhaironsingh Shekhawat8217;s village Khachariawas has been praying fervently for his success, the villagers of Chotti Losal, the native place of Pratibha Patil8217;s husband, are beside themselves with joy.

Khachariawas residents have done everything from organising Maha Rudra Yagnas to round-the-clock Ramayan recitations to attending Friday prayers at the local mosque to ensure Shekhawat becomes the next President. 8220;He is the son of this land. We owe him our support,8221; says Narendasingh Shekhawat, village sarpanch and a nephew of the Vice-President.

Says Maqbul Khan, who participates in every prayer meeting, whether Hindu or Muslim, for Shekhawat, 8220;I remember the first time he stood for elections in 1952, we campaigned for him on camels. I remember he shied away from addressing the crowd then but soon he gained confidence. See how he speaks now.8221;

The villagers look up to Shekhawat, who during his tenure as a politician never forgot his roots. He helped construct a higher secondary school, a temple and also a hospital. 8220;He has always been there for us. Whenever the villagers have approached him for anything, he never turned them away,8221; says Somlal Soni, a jeweller.

The villagers have several religious functions and also a cultural progamme lined up if he becomes President. 8220;When he became Vice-President, we gave him a warm welcome and set up 51 8216;toral-pandals8217; on way to the village. Even he was impressed and this time we plan to do something grander,8221; says Bhavanisingh Sharma, another resident.

Khachariawas is a village of 7,000 people from a mixed background, all hoping and praying for their 8216;Babosa.8217; Shekhawat last visited the village in May, 2006.

Comparatively, Chotti Losal is a small village with a population of just 2,500, mainly comprising Rajputs and Chowhans. Patil last visited the village with her family four years ago, during the jagran at a temple built by her family.

Story continues below this ad

8220;She has been very helpful whenever we have approached her as the Governor and solved all our problems. It was with her help that the village got pucca roads,8221; says Prem Kawar, the sarpanch.

Ever since they first heard the news on television, the villagers have not stopped celebrating. Cousins still live in the small haveli where Patil8217;s husband Dr Devisingh Shekhawat was born and Patil visited after her marriage to him.

8220;It would be great if she becomes the President, specially as she will be the first woman to be bestowed this honour. We plan to start praying soon,8221; says Patapsingh Shekhawat, a nephew of Patil. 8220;All in the village are hopeful that their dadisa, bahusa, kakisa will now be the President,8221; says another villager Surajmal Sharma.

Most Rajputs are glad that both the candidates are Rajputs and that too Shekhawats. 8220;So what if she does not use the surname? She is very much our bahu while Bhairosingh is our son. Whoever wins, Rajputs would be happy and proud,8221; says Sukh Singh.