BJP is bankrupt, had to import UPA candidate: NCP on Prez polls

With BJP supporting PA Sangma in the Presidential race, NCP on Thursday regretted that he has become the nominee of "communal forces" in a contest in which UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee will have a "decisive victory".

Party spokesman DP Tripathi said the development also showed the "bankruptcy" of BJP that they had to "import" a candidate from UPA.

"It is most unfortunate that Sangma has decided to be the candidate of the communal forces. It also shows the bankruptcy of BJP that they had to import a candidate from UPA.

"We are confident that Pranab Mukherjee will have a decisive victory in a token contest for the sake of the contest," Tripathi said.

He dismissed questions about the fate of Union Minister Agatha Sangma in the wake of her father becoming the Presidential candidate backed by BJP.

"These questions are irrelevent. We have called her for the party's Parliamentary Board this evening," he said.

Party leaders had yesterday indicated that Agatha could face the axe from the Union Council of Ministers if she campaigns for her father PA Sangma in the Presidential poll.

PA Sangma had yesterday submitted his resignation from NCP which was accepted by party chief Sharad Pawar with immediate effect.