Congress misusing power to ensure Pranab's win: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday alleged that the Congress is misusing power to influence voting in the presidential elections and claimed the results will be surprising nevertheless.

"Some states are being given packages. That should not be used as a means to influence them. It should be ensured that power is not misused to influence voting," BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here. He questioned Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement raising concern over political clashes in West Bengal indicating that it might be a "threat" to get votes.

Asked about the chances of winning of the BJP-backed presidential candidate P A Sangma, he claimed the results will leave everyone surprised. "Even a UPA partner (Trinamool Congress) has not supported him (Pranab). The results of this presidential election will be surprising," he said.

On getting the support of Trinamool Congress for Sangma, the BJP leader said Mamata Banerjee will soon take a decision. "It should be remembered that the election is not for a state or for any language. It is for the entire nation," Hussain said.

On the Communist Party of India-Marxist's support to Mukherjee's candidature, Hussain said the Congress has always been close to Communists.

"Pranab had always supported the Communist rule in West Bengal and now they are giving him a reward for that," he said.

Addressing a meeting of the BJP minority morcha, Hussain said that unlike other parties, the BJP did not fall into the category of being either a secular or a communal party.

"We treat all religions as equal. We believe in nationalism and taking everybody together with us," he said and alleged that the Congress, on the other hand, was "communal" in nature.

"We treat the Congress as a communal party. They use secularism as a formula to win elections," Hussain said.

"As a spokesperson of the party, I am saying that our duty towards Muslims is as much as that towards Hindus," he said.