BJD, AIADMK want Sangma for President

May 18, 2012 - Venkatesh Kesari |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

The presidential election is hotting up with the Biju Janata Dal and AIADMK announcing their support for former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma for the top post on Thursday.
The two parties, in power in Orissa and Tamil Nadu, played the tribal card. They are close to the Left, the TDP, and even the SAD.
The support of chief ministers Naveen Patnaik (BJD) and J. Jayalalithaa (AIADMK) for the NCP leader is being seen as a significant development that could lead to a contest for the highest office. While the BJD has 21 MPs, the AIADMK has 14.
According to BJP insiders, the party will not put up a candidate against the Congress-led UPA in this election but will back a regional party nominee. Mr Sangma had recently met Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley in New Delhi in this regard.
A Janata Dal (U) leader said Thursday his party would make its stand clear on this issue once the Congress announced its nominee for President.
Mr Sangma had moved closer to the NDA, and even split the NCP in January 2004. He is had won the 2004 Lok Sabha election on the Trinamul Congress symbol.
According to reports from Bhubhaneswar and Chennai, Mr Patnaik and Ms Jayalalithaa announced their support for the 65-year-old tribal leader from the Northeast. “I think Mr Sangma ought to be a candidate for the highest post, for Rashtrapati Bhavan,” Mr Patnaik told reporters in Bhubhaneswar, adding he has had discussions with Ms Jayalalithaa on the issue. Shortly after, the AIADMK chief issued a statement in Chennai saying her party has decided to support the candidature of Mr Sangma for President after “due consideration”.
Recalling Mr Sangma’s May 15 meeting with her, Ms Jayalalithaa said he “not only belongs to a tribal community but is also eminently qualified to be the President of our great nation”.
Mr Sangma thanked the two parties, but NCP chief and Union minister Sharad Pawar said, “I am not aware of any such development. Sangma has not spoken to us. We have had no discussions. We feel that with such a limited strength, we cannot aspire for such a major post.” Mr Sangma himself said he was not lobbying as an NCP leader but in his personal capacity.
Thursday’s announcements were the first by any political party to back a particular candidate for the presidential polls scheduled for July.

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