The stage is set for the next month's Presidential polls with both the main contestants, Pranab Mukherjee suported by the Congress led UPA alliance and P A Sangma backed by the main opposition BJP, filing their nomination papers today. The Presidential polls will take place on the 19 of next month and counting will be held on the 22nd. Senior leaders from both the camps accompanied their candidates as they filed their papers at Parliament House.
The 77 year UPA Candidate Pranab Mukherjee was accompanied by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra as he handed over his nomination papers to V K Agnihotri, Rajya Sabha Secretary General and Returning Officer for the Presidential election. NDA allies the JD(U) and Shiv Sena have also committed support to Pranab Mukherjee.
Soon after completing the nomination process, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee thanked parties like SP, BSP, JD(U), CPI-M, Shiv Sena and
Forward Bloc for reposing faith in him. Mr. Mukherjee also reached out to the UPA ally, Trinamool Congress to support his candidature.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr P.K Bansal said Chief Ministers from eight states including Maharastra, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi were also present on the occasion. He said six independents from different states are also supporting Mukherjee's candidature.
He said, Mr Mukherjee has also appealed to Trinamool Congress Chief Ms Mamata Banerjee to support him. Mr Bansal expressed hope that the UPA nominee will win the election with a thumping majority. He added that, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, will launch his poll campaign on the 30th of this month from Tamil Nadu.
The main opposition BJP- backed Presidential candidate Mr. P.A Sangma filed his nomination papers, in the presence of NDA Working Chairman L K Advani, Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal, BJD President Naveen Patnaik and AIAMDK leader M Thambidurai.
Other leaders present on the ocassion include Mr Nitin Gadkari, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, Mr Arun Jaitley, Mr Venkiah Naidu, Mr Rajnath Singh, Mr Anantha Kumar, all from BJP and Janata Party President, Dr Subramanian Swamy among others. Representatives from Asom Gana Parishad were also present on the occasion.
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 also present. In all, three sets of nomination papers were filed in favour of Mr Sangma.
Mr P A Sangma 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.
Replying to a question, Mr Sangma said that he had also met West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banjerjee in Kolkata to seek her party's support to his candidature.
Earlier, speaking to media before filing his nomination papers, 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. He also said that, he had appealed to the Congress party to consider the case of tribal representation in the Presidential polls.
The CPI meanwhile, has decided not to support either the UPA nominee Mr Pranab Mukherjee or the BJP-backed Mr P A Sangma for the July 19th Presidential poll. Senior CPI leader, Mr. D Raja said in New Delhi that his party has taken a political decision not to support any of them in the given economic situation of the country.
AIR correspondent reports, out of 15 nomination filed today, 4 sets belonged to Mr. Pranab Mukherjee and 3 to Mr. P.A. Sangma, 51 nominations sets have been filed so far.
