Flanked by leaders of various political parties and fronts, the two key candidates for the Presidential election, Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr P.A. Sangma, filed their nomination papers here on Thursday.
While Mr Mukherjee’s campaign will start from Chennai, Mr Sangma will begin by wooing voters from his home State, Meghalaya. Mr Mukherjee filed four sets of papers while Mr Sangma submitted three sets to the returning officer, Mr V.K Agnihotri.
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the United Progressive Alliance chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leader, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, former Railway Minister, Mr Lalu Prasad, and a host of senior Ministers and Congress leaders were present when Mr Mukherjee submitted his papers.
Senior BJP leaders, the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Goa and leaders from the North East region were present when Mr Sangma handed over his papers.
Trinamool mum
Hoping that the Trinamool Congress would also support him, Mr Mukherjee said one should always be optimistic in politics.
“I seek the support of all those including Trinamool Congress, who have not yet decided...I only wish at this time that let me have the blessings of God and co-operation of all at this juncture,” he said, and added that he was thankful to all parties who supported him.
A team of Ministers and senior political leaders, headed by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, is overlooking Mr Mukherjee’s campaign.
Mr Bansal said the election would be a one-sided affair and Mr Mukherjee would win with a thumping majority. He is likely to meet the West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, in the first week of July.
The BJP is co-ordinating with parties like AIADMK and Biju Janata Dal for Mr Sangma’s campaign. He has already given a call for “conscience vote.” He said his campaign would start in Tura, Meghalaya, with a prayer meeting.
“I only want to say that tribals in India have all along stood by the Congress party. We had expected that the Congress would welcome and consider a tribal as its candidate,” Mr Sangma added.