“Every possible presidential electoral college vote from Karnataka would be mobilised in your favour to ensure your victory,” Karnataka Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Dharam Singh assured Pratibha Patil, the UPA-Left candidate for the coming Presidential election.

The Gulbarga duo – KPCC president Kharge and Opposition Leader in the State Assembly Dharam Singh – who were in the capital for the last three days heading a delegation to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Kalasa-Banduri project, availed the first available opportunity to call on the prospective President of India.

That opportunity came on Saturday afternoon as Ms Patil, currently the Governor of Rajasthan, rushed in the morning on twin missions of thanksgiving for nomination and consultations on ensuring her victory.

With the former Karnataka chief minister around, getting a priority appointment with the busy Ms Patil wasn’t a problem – Mr Singh has been a long time friend of Ms Patil’s family.

In fact, whenever she was in Bangalore, she had made it a habit to call on him.
She had visited weddings in the Dharam Singh family. The former Karnataka chief minister had called up Ms Patil on Friday itself to congratulate her.

So, with a bouquet in hand, Mr Kharge and Mr Dharam Singh drove to the Jodhpur state guest house of the Rajasthan government, along Aurangzeb Road in the Lutyen’s Delhi, where the Rajasthan Governor and Chief Minister usually stay while in the national capital.

They presented her the bouquet with a strong commitment to work for her success in the July 19 Presidential election.

Later, Mallikarjun  Kharge said the State Congress leadership would mobilize every Congress vote from the state for her success.