Itanagar: She had a limousine at her disposal but president Pratibha Patil was driven around Raj Bhavan in a small battery-operated Reva car by Arunachal governor Gen (retd) JJ Singh during her visit to Itanagar.

As the presidential entourage was getting ready to leave for forward post Kibithu, near the Sino-India border on Friday, they were surprised to see two Reva cars with the Ashoka emblem parked at the head of a convoy.

 

The mystery unfurled when Gen Singh said he would take the president on a tour of Raj Bhavan in the small car to show her the new golf course besides the organic farming being done within the premises. “The car is environment-friendly and can be easily driven by me inside the Raj Bhavan,” said the governor. The two cars have clocked more than 20,000 km each.

 

The governor escorted Patil to the white car and took over the wheels. Patil’s spouse Devi Singh Shekhawat was driven around in the red car.

 

The governor also informed Rashtrapati Bhavan officials about the new luxurious wooden house fitted with all accessories and modular kitchen that he got made in “just 10 days” for the president’s visit to the state.