BJP washes its hands off Sangma and his anti-Pranab stance?

New Delhi, Jul 26: With former NCP leader and Presidential election candidate

having to concede defeat after

won the election by more than 69 per cent votes, making him the 13th President of India, it looks like Team Sangma is slowly degenerating leaving the tribal leader to fend for himself.

According to sources, the BJP who was initially backing Sangma and nominated him as their candidate for the Presidential poll has apparently ditched him in the wake of his filing an election petition against Pranab. The matter became clear when BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, "Any decision by Mr Sangma to approach the Supreme Court will be his personal initiative. BJP has respectfully welcomed Mukherjee as the President of India and the party and the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) will not be associated with any such step."

Rudy was speaking at a press briefing when he revealed the party's intentions to stay away from the controversy surrounding Sangma's decision to move the Supreme Court against Pranab. He also added that Sangma's activities ended with the dissolution of the election campaign committee that was particularly formed for the presidential election.

But, plans to take matters to court are still on as BJP's legal cell head Satya Pal Jain is Sangma's lawyer and he had said earlier that the "final decision" on the election petition would be taken by the end of this week. Rudy, however, clarified that Jain will be fighting the case "in his personal capacity as a lawyer".

Rudy's comments come after Sangma and Jain met with senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar and SS Ahluwalia. Sources have been quoted as saying that Sangma is likely to approach the court by the end of next week.

Sangma had received the express backing of the BJP when the controversy arose on Mukherjee's nomination and that he held an office of profit in the capacity of Chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute when he filed his nomination. The party also backed Team Sangma's allegation that the signature of Pranab in the resignation letter was forged.

This matter was highlighted when both Pranab and Sangma were campaigning for the Presidential election but the issue was rejected by the returning officer. The BJP had then rallied behind Sangma and offered their support when the case was taken to the Election Commission (EC). The EC had then directed them to approach Supreme Court and file an election petition in this regard. But, unfortunately this could be done only after the results were declared.

With the BJP now washing its hands off the issue, Sangma has to deal with the matter, it now remains to be seen if he will take up the fight with the apex court or be content with the poll result.

OneIndia News