Aishwarya Rai

A controversial woman regional governor, Pratibha Patil, has pledged to give way over her appointment as India’s first female president in favor of glamorous Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai “because this would unify the entire country and elicit massive popular support across the political divides”.

Patil, governor of Rajasthan, was widely expected to be officially confirmed as the presideltial election winner this weekend.

But her spokesman has told reporters that rather than ending up as a token female presidential leader Patil proposes Aishwarya Rai takes on the immense task “because of her beauty, intermational popular appeal, blameless background and the total devotion of the entire country’s Bollywood-loving auidences”.

The post is largely ceremonial but plays a huge role in traditional protocol events where the country’s “statehood must be flagshipped”.

There are no constitutional barriers to Rai being chosen over Patil except for the fact that she has yet to declare herself a contender in any running for the top political position in India.

Indian political analysts claim that Patil was initially chosen for her loyalty rather than her talents “and certainly not for her looks!

“On the basis of looks alone Ms Rai is head and shoulders ahead of any opposition.

“And in terms of universal appeal she would be the frontrunner because the whole world knows her name after that Bride and Prejudice movie was released.”

Rai’s agent has failed to comment on stories that the former Miss World and Bollywood queen has been in secret discussions to accept the post.

But her gradual slowing down of accepting new movie roles -initially interpreted as due to a possible pregnancy - may now be seen in a very different light.

Sonia Gandhi is livid.