Prez poll: Pranab Mukherjee renews appeal for support

Guwahati/Ahmedabad, July 7 (ANI): Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee has again renewed his appeal for support to regional parties in a bid to up his campaign for the presidential elections.

"Immediately after the declaration by UPA, my candidature was endorsed by Samajwadi party, BSP, RJD, Ram Vilas Paswan's party and JD (S) led by Deve Gowda. After some time, certain other political parties extended their support to me. Parties like JD (U), Shiv Sena, CPI (M), and forward bloc. And certain other smaller political parties," Mukherjee told media here.

He refused to comment on the recent verbal attacks by his rival candidate, P.A Sangma.

"Firstly, I do not comment on any observation of my rival candidate, whatever he feels proper and just he can say that. I would not like to make any comment on it. Whenever a voter casts his vote, it is according to his judgement. I have full faith in the judgement of the members of the electoral college," said Mukherjee.

In his campaign, Sangma appealed to the tribal legislators and lawmakers in Gujarat to vote for him in the upcoming elections.

"For the first time, Gujarat is having a tribal speaker in the assembly, and openly and wholeheartedly supporting me, a tribal candidate for presidentship. I appeal to all the tribal MLAs and MPs of Gujarat to vote for a fellow tribal," said Sangma.

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)