Sangma emerges potential candidate for president
Tamil Nadu and Odisha ruling parties back his bid
New Delhi: Former Lok Sabha speaker Purno Agitok Sangma has emerged as a potential candidate to become the next Indian President.
Sangma's candidature was jointly announced yesterday by Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Tamil Nadu's ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
"We will support Sangma. He is the most appropriate candidate for the post," Odisha chief minister and BJD founder Naveen Patnaik said.
Patnaik's Tamil Nadu counterpart J. Jayalalitha said, "After due consideration and consultations within the AIADMK as well as consultations with Naveen Patnaik, the AIADMK has decided to support the candidature of P.A. Sangma, former Lok Sabha Speaker, for the highest office of the Republic of India."
Sangma, 64, is a Tribal leader from the North Eastern state Meghalaya and is one of the founders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is constituent of India's ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) headed by the Congress party.
The announcement for Sangma's candidature has put the Congress party in a fix since the party had short listed Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and incumbent Vice President Hamid Ansari as potential UPA candidates.
Opposing Sangma's candidature may push the NCP to join hands with regional parties like the BJD and AIADMK which are working to float conglomerate of regional parties to take on both the Congress party and its arch-rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during 2014 general elections.
Sangma's daughter Aghatha Sangma is a junior minister in the UPA government.
The former Lok Sabha speaker was in news recently when he demanded that India must have a Tribal as President since all other communities have had Presidents during the past six decades. His demand was supported by Tribal leaders from various parties.
Scheduled Tribes
Sangma had met Jayalalitha on Tuesday to garner support for a Tribal as the next President of India.
"I am glad that Naveen Patnaik and Jayalalitha have come out in my support. I am meeting all political parties. We want a tribal President. Pranab Mukherjee is competent but time has come for a President from the Scheduled Tribes community," Sangma said.
Sangma is expected to seek support of the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and leader of the Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party to seek their supports.
