The Bharatiya Janata Party has designated party general secretary Ananth Kumar and senior leader S S Ahluwalia to assist P A Sangma in the Presidential election management.

President Nitin Gadkari issued a statement to this effect on Friday. Sangma, a tribal leader, has been supported as a candidate in the Presidential election by BJP along with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Biju Janata Dal against United Progressive Alliance's nominee Pranab Mukherjee.

While one of BJP's ally Shiromani Akali Dal has supported the candidature of Sangma, its other allies Janata Dal-United and Shiv Sena have rallied behind Mukherjee.