Sonia to host lunch for UPA, supporting parties before presidential poll
July 13th, 2012 - 12:17 am ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 12 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi would host a lunch for MPs of the UPA and supporting parties a day before July 19 presidential polls, party sources said.
They said the luncheon meeting is aimed at closer interaction between the alliance partners and supporting parties ahead of the presidential election.
Though Congress leaders have expressed optimism about United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Pranab Mukherjee winning the presidential polls by a substantial margin, they are leaving nothing to chance.
A meeting of UPA parties has been called July 14, party sources added.
Both Mukherjee and P. A. Sangma, whose candidature has been supported by parties including Bharatiya Janata Party, AIADMK and Biju Janata Dal, have been touring the country to convass support.
Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party Thursday called upon the BJP, AIADMK and the BJD to withdraw support to Sangma as “he had crossed limits of dignity” in the presidential polls.
Sangma had quit NCP to contest the presidential polls.
“It is very unfortunate that P.A. Sangma is not observing decency, decorum and dignity in the Presidential elections,” NCP leader D. P. Tripathi told mediapersons here
Tripathi’s remarks came in the wake of Sangma’s reported comments that Rashtrapati Bhawan was being used as a dumping ground for “failed” former finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.
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- Sangma will support Pranab: NCP - Jun 19, 2012
- NCP cautions Sangma, hints of action - Jun 16, 2012
- Will accept Sangma's resignation:, says Pawar (Lead) - Jun 20, 2012
- NCP cautions Sangma, says he will withdraw (Second Lead) - Jun 16, 2012
- Will accept Sangma's resignation: Pawar - Jun 20, 2012
- Sangma is candidate of communal forces: NCP - Jun 21, 2012
- Meghalaya CM urges coalition partners not to support Sangma - Jul 06, 2012
- GJM to go with Trinamool on presidential poll - Jun 28, 2012
- Sangma's daughter skips NCP meet - Jun 21, 2012
- Syndicate could turn tables on Pranab: Sangma (Interview) - Jul 11, 2012
- Pranab's nomination for presidential poll accepted - Jul 03, 2012
- BJD, AIADMK back Sangma for presidency (Intro Roundup) - May 17, 2012
- Pranab will win, claims UPA - Jul 17, 2012
- Sangma seeks support, not many takers (Lead) - May 22, 2012
Tags: aiadmk, alliance partners, biju, bjd, candidature, congress leaders, congress president sonia gandhi, decency, decorum, dumping ground, finance minister, luncheon meeting, nationalist congress party, pranab mukherjee, presidential elections, presidential poll, presidential polls, progressive alliance, substantial margin, tripathi