Ignoring advice from his party, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader P.A. Sangma on Friday said he continues to be in the fray for the Presidential election as a tribal candidate.
“I am in the fray as a tribal candidate, not as a NCP candidate,” Mr. Sangma, a former Lok Sabha speaker, told reporters here.
Mr. Sangma pointed out that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had proposed his name as a candidate for the Presidential poll.
Asked about A.P.J. Kalam’s candidature, the NCP leader said that he felt that the former President will not enter the fray.
“Kalam has been President once. He will not take such a risk,” Mr. Sangma said.
NCP General Secretary D.P. Tripathi on Monday met Mr. Sangma and told him that the party will support the UPA candidate in the Presidential poll, suggesting that he opt out of the race.
Keywords: Presidential elections, P.A. Sangma, NCP
This is not fair, saying that I am contesting as tribal candidate. Don't mix the communities and religion for your personal benefits and betterment, let us think about the nation's progress. Get rid of from this dirty politics.
Defying his Party's decision is not fair.In a democratic country he should have allegiance to his party high command,or otherwise it is going to be dictatorship.
Beautifully expressed. I hope Mr Sangma reads this message.
The fact that Mr Sangma is from a tribal community does not in itself make him a better candidate to represent tribal interests, let alone the national interest encompassing both tribal and other interests. There is considerable strife in the tribal areas about formulae for sharing mineral resources. If Mr Sangma has insight to contribute to the debate about what constitutes a fair allocation of the proceeds of natural resources exploitation between residents of the tribal areas and those that live elsewhere, he would be an ideal candidate. Otherwise, his candidature has not special merit if the only thing he can offer is his tribal ancestry.
Sir, No news paper is reporting that the post of President is of high stature and should be seen a politically impartial and above party politics. It is morally improper to to nominate the serving FM or any other active politician for presidential candidate.
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