From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Opposition-backed Presidential candidate Purno A Sangma got another shot in the arms on Thursday after Prof Bhim Singh, president of the Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party announced that he and his MLAs in the J&K Assembly will vote for Purno.
Extending his support to Sangma, Bhim Singh said that the former Lok Sabha Speaker enjoys full support from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Shillong to Dwarka.
The former Speaker said that he has joined hands with Prof Singh to ensure harmonious development and policy implementation vis-à-vis Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.
Addressing the conference, Prof Singh said that Sangma’s victory in the July 19 Presidential election will uphold the voice of millions of citizens of this country. This will also resolve to strengthen the bonds of national integration across the country, he said.
Prof Singh regretted that the Congress has not been able to work out a genuine policy vis-à-vis J&K, North East and other neglected regions in the country.
“Sangma’s victory will open new windows of confidence, understanding, development and communication between the East and the West, the South and the North of the country,” Prof Singh said.
Meanwhile, Purno, as announced earlier, has set up an election management committee comprising of MPs from parties supporting him to assist him in his campaign for the Presidential poll. While the ten-member committee will be co-chaired by former Congress leader Arvind Netam and AIADMK’s M Thambidurai, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy will be his ‘personal adviser’.
BJP has already assigned SS Ahluwalia and Ananth Kumar to assist Purno in his campaign as spokesperson and adviser respectively.
Others in the panel include Bhatruhari Mahtab (BJD), who has been designated Sangma’s election agent, Naresh Gujral (SAD), former Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga (Mizo National Front), Deepak Kumar Das (AGP), former Meghalaya Chief Minister Donkupar Roy and Independent MP KL Meena from Rajasthan.
