BJD sticks to PA Sangma as Presidential candidate

BHUBANESWAR: With NCP leader P A Sangma refusing to pull out of the Presidential race, the ruling BJD in Odisha, which was the first to moot his name for the top post, today stuck to its support for the former LokSabha Speaker.

"Having proposed Sangma's name as the Presidential candidate, the BJD is whole-heartedly supporting the prominent tribal leader," senior MP and BJD Parliamentary Party leader Arjun Charan Sethi said.

Recalling that BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was the first to moot the name of Sangma for the top post, Sethi said "there has been no change in our party's stand on the issue."

He said senior BJD leaders, who held a series of meetings and discussed the issue threadbare at the Chief Minister's residence since Friday night, were strongly in favour of supporting Sangma.

Meanwhile, undaunted by threat of disciplinary action by NCP leadership, Sangma also stuck to his decision to remain in the race for presidency.

"As long as Sangma is in the race, BJD will continue to support him without deviating from its earlier decision," said another senior BJD leader.

The regional party also seems to be waiting for NDA to finalise its stand on the Presidential election, sources said adding "BJD leaders are closely watching the developments."