Presidential poll: Sangma says his legal team going through RO's order

NEW DELHI: Opposition backed Presidential candidate P A Sangma today said his legal team is going through the Returning Officer's ruling in the Pranab Mukherjee Office of Profit case and he would decide the future course of action after consulting his colleagues and supporters.

The former Lok Sabha Speaker said he received a certified copy of the ruling of the Returning Officer ( RO) last night and has gone through it.

After his legal team has studied the ruling of the RO, who is the Rajya Sabha Secretary General, a meeting of his campaign committee will be held to decide the future course of action, he told a press conference here organised by Jammu and Kashmir-based National Panthers Party to announce its support to him.

BJP leader Satpal Jain, who had filed the complaint against Mukherjee contending that since he was holding an office of profit as chairman of Indian Statistical Institute his nomination papers should be rejected, has already hinted that once the election is over, Sangma may go to court.

Sangma also referred to Arvind Netam, a tribal leader from Chhattisgarh who was suspended from Congress for supporting him.

"There is no symbol in the Presidential election. So Pranab Mukherjee is not contesting on the hand symbol. Sangma is not contesting on the clock symbol. It is above party," Sangma said, adding that action taken against anybody for supporting another candidate is "absolutely condemnable".

A meeting of the Tribal Forum of India will be held today to discuss the issue. Sangma is also holding a meeting with BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar and others to discuss his poll strategy and related issues.