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, who filed his nomination papers for the country's top Constitutional post this afternoon, said he would launch his election campaign from Saturday. The 64-year-old tribal leader from North East and former Lok Sabha Speaker said he would fly to his constitutency Tura in Meghalaya to attend an inter-religious prayer meeting. From there, he would go to Guwahati before coming to Delhi to attend a wedding ceremony.

In all three sets of nomination papers were filed in favour of Mr Sangma.

Odisha Chief Minister Mr Navin Patnaik of Biju Janata Dal, his counterpart in Punjab Mr Prakash Singh Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr Shivraj Singh Chauhan (BJP) and Goa Chief Minister Mr Manohar Parikar (BJP) were among several prominent leaders who were present at the time of filing his nomination papers before the Returning Officer and the Rajya Sabha Secretary General, Dr V K Agnihotri in his Chamber in Parliament House at 1431 hrs. Other leaders include Mr L K Advani, Mr Nitin Gadkari, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, Mr Arun Jaitley, Mr Venkiah Naidu, Mr Rajnath Singh, Mr Anantha Kumar, all BJP, Mr Thambi Durai of AIADMK, Janata Party President, Dr Subramanian Swamy. Representatives from Asom Gana Parishad were also present on the occasion.

Replying to a question Mr Sangma said that he had also met the West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banjerjee to seek her party's support to his candidature.

Earlier, addressing a news conference in New Delhi, before filing his nomination, Mr Sangma said a tribal leader is filing the documents for the country’s top constitutional post which is a victory for tribals in the country. Mr Sangma said that he had appealed to the Congress party to consider the case of tribal representation in the Presidential poll.

The BJP-backed Presidential nominee, Mr P A Sangma, who filed his nomination papers for the country's top Constitutional post this afternoon, said he would launch his election campaign from Saturday. The 64-year-old tribal leader from North East and former Lok Sabha Speaker said he would fly to his constitutency Tura in Meghalaya to attend an inter-religious prayer meeting. From there, he would go to Guwahati before coming to Delhi to attend a wedding ceremony.

In all three sets of nomination papers were filed in favour of Mr Sangma.

Odisha Chief Minister Mr Navin Patnaik of Biju Janata Dal, his counterpart in Punjab Mr Prakash Singh Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr Shivraj Singh Chauhan (BJP) and Goa Chief Minister Mr Manohar Parikar (BJP) were among several prominent leaders who were present at the time of filing his nomination papers before the Returning Officer and the Rajya Sabha Secretary General, Dr V K Agnihotri in his Chamber in Parliament House at 1431 hrs. Other leaders include Mr L K Advani, Mr Nitin Gadkari, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, Mr Arun Jaitley, Mr Venkiah Naidu, Mr Rajnath Singh, Mr Anantha Kumar, all BJP, Mr Thambi Durai of AIADMK, Janata Party President, Dr Subramanian Swamy. Representatives from Asom Gana Parishad were also present on the occasion.

Replying to a question Mr Sangma said that he had also met the West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banjerjee to seek her party's support to his candidature.

Earlier, addressing a news conference in New Delhi, before filing his nomination, Mr Sangma said a tribal leader is filing the documents for the country’s top constitutional post which is a victory for tribals in the country. Mr Sangma said that he had appealed to the Congress party to consider the case of tribal representation in the Presidential poll.