After losing the Presidential election by more than a mile, NDA-backed candidate P A Sangma accused the UPA of making the Presidential election extremely political and partisan and said “even threats and inducements were used to get votes.”
Indicating that he would move an election petition in the Supreme Court challenging the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee, Sangma called for a code of conduct for Presidential election.
Of course, Sangma congratulated Pranab Mukherjee, but alleged in the same vein that money power had played a big role in his election loss.
He alleged that non-UPA ruled states were lured with packages and inducements and even given threats.
“I might have lost the election, but I also think that the nation lost an opportunity to elevate a tribal as the President of the country,” Sangma, who had been initially propped up by the All India Tribal Forum, said.
“There is a compelling need for establishing an election code of conduct in Presidential elections.
Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections, like Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, should have a code of conduct,” Sangma said, obliquely hinting at financial packages offered to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Cross-Voting
On instances of cross-voting in favour of Pranab, that showed further fissures in the Opposition ranks, Sangma said:
“We are meeting in few days to discuss all these issues. We knew that there was a problem in Karnataka. Results also show that there was cross-voting in many places.”
When asked how he failed to get the expected votes even from the North-East, touted as his stronghold, Sangma said that the central funds had played a role there.
“People of North-East are no more capable of standing on their own feet. They have become dependent on Central Government’s doles”.
Sangma thanked the Opposition parties that had supported his candidature.
“I thank the BJP, Akali Dal, AIADMK, BJD and all others who supported me in the election,” he said.