Mukherjee seeks support for Prez poll

Kolkata, June 23 (ANI): Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is the UPA's presidential candidate, on Saturday made an earnest appeal to the leaders of various political parties to back his candidature in the race for Raisina Hill.

"We are waiting for the presidential poll. The election will take place on July 19. am the UPA's candidate. Other than the UPA's own members, everybody else in the government, have lend their support to me. Outside the UPA, the groups who are supporting me are the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)," Mukherjee told the media here.

"Outside the UPA, groups such as Max Mueller Communist's Party, All India Forward Block, Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Shiv Sena, they also have supported my candidature. My sincere request, who ever have swore according to their parties, please cast your votes accordingly. The ones' who haven't taken any decision, my humble request to them is that they support the UPA's choice," he added.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee has still not backed Mukherjee's candidature for the presidential poll.

Mukherjee, who is on his first visit to Kolkata after being chosen by the ruling coalition as its nominee for the coveted post, further turned nostalgic as he said that he would be visiting his native village during this visit.

"Obviously, I am feeling really nice. There is a lot of nostalgia. I would go to my village, where I grew up. And many of you don't know possibly, I am basically a village boy, my life, up to graduation stage, I have graduated from a district college," said Mukherjee.

"Other than my college period, and vacations, the winter and summer, for three days holidays also, I used to come to my village. That village is really close to my heart, and I am really attached towards it. I am going there and I am very happy.

Mukherjee, who arrived in Kolkata last night, is slated to go to his native village Kinnahar later in the day today.

Mukherjee, who is very well respected within the party social circles, further said that he would step down as the Finance Minister of the country tomorrow.

"Perhaps, this is my last visit to Kolkata as Finance Minister because I am going to demit my office on 24th. And after that I will not be able to speak anything either on government or on party matters," he said.

Mukherjee is a senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, Prices, Security, Unique Identification Authority of India, World Trade Organization, and heads the Group of Ministers Committee on the Dabhol dispute. He is a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

Mukherjee had earlier on Friday acknowledged his gratitude to the various political parties and their leaders for backing him in the ensuing elections to choose the next President of India.

"Indeed, I am indebted to all those such as CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist), Forward Bloc, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party), LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) and RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), who have endorsed and supported my candidature in the elections for the President of the nation," said Mukherjee.

"I appeal to all the leaders of theses and other parties to consider my candidature," he added.

The presidential elections will be held on July 19. The vote count will take place on July 22.

Pratibha Devisingh Patil's term as President ends on July 24.(ANI)