The UPA nominee and senior congress leader Mr Pranab Mukherjee today filed his nomination papers for the July 19th Presidential poll. After filing the documents, Mr Mukherjee thanked the leaders of those parties who have supported his nomination for the top Constitutional post in the country. Talking to media, he said parties like SP, BSP, JD(U), CPIM and Shiv Sena, supported his candidature for the country's 14th President.
Several prominent leaders were present when the 77-year old Pranab Mukherjee filed his nomination papers before the Returning Officer and the Rajya Sabha Secretary General, Mr V K Agnihotri in his Chamber in Parliament at 1100 hours this monring.
They include UPA Chairperson, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, Home Minister Mr P Chidambaram, Renewal Enegy Minister and National Conference Leader, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party Chief Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lok Jan Shakti Party Leader, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, RJD Chief, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav. Senior Congress Leader and AICC General Secretary Mr Rahul Gandhi, were among several leaders who were present on the occasion.
Four sets of nomination papers, signed by as many as 480 MPs and MLAs, including Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, Congress Legislature Party leaders and PCC chiefs were submitted by Mr. Mukherjee.
Convenor of the opposition NDA and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav was the first signatory on one set of nomination papers followed by Defence Minister A K Antony. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati have also signed the nomination papers.The BJP-backed Presidential nominee, Mr P A Sangma is expected to file his nomination this afternoon.The UPA nominee for the next month's Presidential Poll, Mr Mukherjee, will launch his poll campaign from 30th of this month from Tamil Nadu. This was stated by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, while talking to reporters in New Delhi immediately after filing the nomination papers.
Replying to a question, Mr Bansal said that Mr Mukherjee also appealed to the Trinamool Congress Chief Ms Mamata Banerjee to support his candidature. Mr Bansal expressed hope that the UPA nominee will win the election with thumping majority.
