Sangma to file nomination on Thursday

Opposition backed Presidential candidate P A Sangma will file his nomination on Thursday, the day when United Progressive Alliance nominee Pranab Mukherjee will submit his papers.

Sangma's office said that the 64-year-old former Lok Sabha speaker will file his nomination papers on June 28. He is likely to be accompanied by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, senior members of Parliament from All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Biju Janata Dal, among others.

The tribal Christian leader, who recently quit the Nationalist Congress Party to enter the fray, on Tuesday met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to solicit Trinamool Congress support.

However, TMC is non-committal on the issue and there are indications that it may abstain. National Democratic Alliance allies Janata Dal-United and Shiv Sena have decided to support Mukherjee.

Interestingly, Sangma is filing papers on the same day as Mukherjee.

Sangma, who is likely to lose the polls as the numbers are stacked heavily in favour of Mukherjee, is making an all-out effort to improve his chances. He has even talked about possibility of a miraculous outcome and appealed to members of Parliament and members of Legislative Assembly for a conscience vote.

Mukherjee came under attack from Sangma yesterday when the latter held him responsible for the present economic problems in the country.