New Delhi:
The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee is expected to file four sets of nomination papers today at around 11 am. Opposition candidate PA Sangma, who is supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the AIADMK and the Biju Janata Dal, will also file his nomination in the afternoon.
The filing of nominations would mark the formal start of the race for presidency, in which Mr Mukherjee appears to have a clear edge over Mr Sangma.
Mr Mukherjee's nomination papers are signed by top leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and leaders of other parties in the UPA. As many as 480 MPs and MLAs, including Union Ministers, chief ministers, Congress Legislature Party leaders and PCC chiefs are among the proposers and seconders of Mr Mukherjee's nomination.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who is Mr Mukherjee's authorised election agent, told NDTV that the former Finance Minister will not be filing his assets as it is not required under law. He, however, added that it is for Mr Mukherjee to decide if he wants to declare his assets at a later stage of the presidential poll.
Janata Dal (United) President Sharad Yadav is the first signatory on one set of nomination papers. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati have also signed the nomination papers.
Mr Mukherjee will be contesting the elections against former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma, who is backed by the BJP, and two powerful Chief Ministers - Tamil Nadu's J Jayalalithaa and her AIADMK, and Odisha's Naveen Patnaik and his Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to put up a show of strength when the former Lok Sabha Speaker files his nomination today around 2:30 pm. High-profile BJP leaders, including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, are likely to be present during Mr Sangma's nomination.
In addition to Ms Jayalalithaa and Mr Patnaik, Punjab Chief Minister and Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal andJanata Party President Subramanian Swamy along with senior leaders from Jayalalithaa's AIADMK are also expected at the occasion.
With NDA allies like JD(U) and Shiv Sena supporting the former Finance Minister, the odds are heavily stacked against Mr Sangma with over 56 per cent of the electoral college favouring Mr Mukherjee.