A mediocre Indian politician Pratibha Patil was elected as the country’s first woman President.

The nominee of the ruling coalition at the center, 72-year-old Patil is a lightweight politician with little achievement to her credit.

Patil won two-thirds of the electoral college votes defeating her rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who was backed by the opposition parties.

Fortunately the office of the President is a symbolic post in India with little real power usually. But the President can play a crucial role in selecting the governing party if there’s a hung parliament with no political party having an absolute majority of its own.

Real power in the Indian politicial arena lies with the Parliament and its elected leaders and the leadership of the major parties.