The United Progressive Alliance and the Left parties on Tuesday set in motion the formal process of nominating Pratibha Patil for the presidential election with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi endorsing her nomination.

Gandhi, who is also the UPA chairperson, was the first to propose the candidature of the Rajasthan governor.

She signed Patil's nomination papers in the presence of Union Ministers P R Dasmunsi and Prithviraj Chavan.

Patil's nomination comes a day after the race to elect the country's next President took an intriguing turn with the Third Front springing a surprise by favouring a second term for incumbent A P J Abdul Kalam.