Sangma ignores NCP's advice, to be in Prez race

New Delhi, Jun 15: Ignoring advice from his party, Nationalist Congress Party (

) leader PA Sangma on Friday said he continued to be in the fray for the presidential election as a tribal candidate. "I am in the fray as a tribal candidate, not as an NCP candidate," Sangma, a former Lok Sabha Speaker, told reporters here. Sangma pointed out that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had proposed his name as a candidate for the presidential poll.

Asked about former President APJ Abdul Kalam's candidature, the NCP leader said that he felt that the former President will not enter the fray. "Kalam has been President once. He will not take such a risk," Sangma said. Earlier, NCP General Secretary DP Tripathi met Sangma and told him that the party will support the UPA candidate in the presidential poll, suggesting that he opt out of the race. The development came a day after NCP leader Sharad Pawar met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and amid indications that the presidential election could become a keen affair with TMC leader Mamata Banerjee pitching for Kalam.

PTI