Sangma has become nominee of 'communal forces': NCP

With the Bharatiya Janata Party supporting P A Sangma in the Presidential race, the Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday regretted that he has become the nominee of "communal forces" in a contest in which UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee will have a "decisive victory".

Party spokesman D P Tripathi said the development also showed the "bankruptcy" of BJP that they had to "import" a candidate from UPA.

"It is most unfortunate that Sangma has decided to be the candidate of the communal forces. It also shows the bankruptcy of BJP that they had to import a candidate from UPA.

"We are confident that Pranab Mukherjee will have a decisive victory in a token contest for the sake of the contest," Tripathi said.

He dismissed questions about the fate of Union Minister Agatha Sangma in the wake of her father becoming the Presidential candidate backed by BJP.

"These questions are irrelevent. We have called her for the party's Parliamentary Board this evening," he said.

Party leaders had on Wednesday indicated that Agatha could face the axe from the Union council of ministers if she campaigns for her father P A Sangma in the Presidential poll.

P A Sangma had on Wednesday submitted his resignation from NCP which was accepted by party chief Sharad Pawar with immediate effect.