From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: With the BJP-led NDA deferring its decision on its Presidential candidate till Wednesday and own party NCP slated to meet a day after, Purno A Sangma’s prospects for Raisina Hills remains in a limbo as of now.
“We have invited Purno Sangma to the meeting on Thursday where we will formally reiterate NCP’s support to Pranab Mukherjee for the post of President as a nominee of the ruling UPA,” NCP general secretary DP Tripathi said on Tuesday.
“We have full faith in Purno that he will fulfill his promise of abiding by the party decision and support the UPA candidate in the Presidential Election 2012,” Tripathi told reporters here.
Sangma, however, told news persons that he is still in the fray but did not elaborate further.
Last week, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had sent Tripathi to meet Sangma with an advice to withdraw from the Presidential race but to no avail.
Party sources said that the former Speaker could face disciplinary action if he goes ahead with his candidature. Incidentally, NCP had also warned Purno’s daughter and Union Minister of State Agatha against campaigning for her father.
Meanwhile, cracks in the NCP have started surfacing in other parts of the country especially in Odisha where the party once had as many as four MLAs who shifted allegiance to the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD. The MLAs said that irrespective of the NCP’s stand they will support Purno in the race since he is propped up by two Chief Ministers – Naveen and Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu.
Reports of dissent have also started coming in from other states where NCP has some presence.
However, all permutations and combinations point to the fact that Pranab remains way ahead of Purno even if BJP decides to extend support to the latter.
The UPA, with the support of Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Mayawati (BSP) and smaller parties like Lalu Prasad’s RJD, is likely to get 54 per cent of the vote; more if the Left chips in.
On the other hand, Purno in the best case scenario will manage only about 30 per cent of the votes with BJP’s support and three per cent more if Mamata joins in.
But indications are that Mamata, who has rejected Pranab’s candidature, is seriously considering abstaining altogether.
To add to the woes, a division has emerged within the BJP rank, with senior party leader Maneka Gandhi openly supporting Pranab while senior leaders like LK Advani wanting to put up a fight keeping the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in mind.
Among the NDA constituents barring Shiromani Akali Dal of Punjab others like JD(U) do not want a confrontation considering the number game even though Purno, the national tribal candidate, is relying on cross voting by parliamentarians.