From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Upsetting Congress leader Ajit Jogi’s opposition, the Tribal Forum of India has officially announced former Lok Sabha Speaker and veteran leader from Meghalaya, Purno A Sangma, as its candidate for the next Presidential polls.
Pulling a surprise, prominent Congress leader and former Union Minister Arvind Netam, who is also Convener of the Forum, endorsed Purno’s bid for Presidency. Netam also urged all political parties, irrespective of their ideologies, to support the veteran tribal leader since no person from this group has ever made it to the highest office.
Kiren Rijiju, former MP from Arunachal Pradesh, said the move if accepted by all political parties will send a clear signal to the hill people and remove their decades old feeling of isolation.
Netam had all praise for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for supporting Purno’s bid.
“Both leaders have feeling for the tribals which is evident from their support to Purno,” he said.
On the opposition from Purno’s own party, the NCP, both Netam and Rijiju said that it was the internal matter of the NCP.
“We are proposing Purno’s name not because he belongs to the NCP but because he is a tribal and has all the qualifications,” they said.
“We will meet all political parties and garner their support for Purno,” they said.