Top BJP leaders to be present during PA Sangma's nomination

New Delhi: Making its intentions clear in backing its presidential candidate PA Sangma all the way, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to put up a show of strength today when the former Lok Sabha Speaker files his nomination.

High-profile BJP leaders are likely to be present during Mr Sangma's nomination. Punjab Chief Minister and Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal, Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) head Naveen Patnaik, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy along with senior leaders from Jayalalithaa's AIADMK are expected at the occasion.

Ahead of filing his nomination papers, scheduled around 2:30 pm, a confident Mr Sangma said, "I am a candidate nominated by two chief ministers - Naveen Patnaik and J Jayalalithaa - and backed by the BJP and NDA allies. I am extremely grateful to leaders who have supported me."

Mr Sangma will be contesting against the Congress-led UPA's candidate Pranab Mukherjee, who quit as the country's Finance Minister on Tuesday. He had exhorted all political parties, including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which he recently quit, to support him as a tribal for the top post of the country. "Wanted to meet Sonia Gandhi...we were kept waiting for three days...the tribals have always stood by the Congress...expected Congress to accept a tribal leader as nominee," he said.  

Mr Mukherjee filed his nomination earlier in the day. Mr Mukherjee filed four sets of nomination papers signed by top UPA leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

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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.

However, Mr Sangma is making an all-out effort to improve his chances. He met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday to solicit the support of Trinamool Congress (TMC). However, Trinamool is non-committal on the issue and there are indications that it may abstain.

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Mr Sangma on Monday had travelled to Hyderabad to garner the support of Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress, which had swept the recent by-polls in the state. Though Mr Sangma was unable to meet Mr Reddy, who is in jail in a corruption case, he met the YSR Congress chief's mother Vijayamma.