New Delhi:
Former Lok Sabha speaker and NCP leader PA Sangma today met CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat to drum up support for his Presidential bid. Mr Sangma currently enjoys the support of J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK and Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and is hoping to garner the support of all parties. Mr Sangma has demanded that the President must be a Tribal leader.
Mr Sangma today drove to the CPI (M) headquarters where he discussed his plans to contest the Presidential elections in July. The Left parties are likely to take a call by this month-end on their choice of candidate for the top post
"We came here to talk to the tallest leader of the Left parties to press for the demand of electing a tribal president this time," Mr Sangma told reporters after the meeting.
Mr Sangma said Ms Jayalalithaa and Naveen Patnaik have already spoken to Karat regarding his candidature.
"The Left parties are meeting tomorrow. This issue will be discussed. No final decision is expected tomorrow. But by month-end, Left parties will decide on their stand," he said.
In a coordinated move, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Ms Jayalalithaa and her Odisha counterpart Navin Patnaik had on May 17 announced their joint support to Mr Sangma.
Ms Jayalalithaa yesterday spoke to BJP leader L K Advani, Samajwadi supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and other non-Congress leaders including Left parties in support of Mr Sangma.