Shivraj Patil, a Senior Congress leader and former Union Home Minister, died at the age of 90 in Latur on Friday.

Patil was once considered to be a likely candidate for 2007’s presidential elections from the Indian National Congress alliance UPA.

He also had strong backing from the the party chief Sonia Gandhi and was considered her favourite choice. However, the left, especially the CPI (M), had reservations about him.

Congress had banked on then Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister Mayawati, who later agreed to support Patil to succeed President PJ Abdul Kalam. Mayawati had backed out from supporting the candidature of Shushil Kuamr Shinde.

The left, however, strongly opposed and said that they didn't want Shivraj Patil in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Some Congress leaders were also sceptical o

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