Sangma plays tribal card to garner support from northeast
June 30th, 2012 - 6:40 pm ICT by IANSGuwahati, June 30 (IANS) Playing the tribal card, former Lok Sabha speaker and NDA presidential candidate P.A. Sangma Saturday appealed to politicians in the mostly Congress-ruled northeastern states - a large share of who are tribals - to support his candidature “without any doubt or fear”.
“I belong to the northeast and I am a tribal candidate from the northeast. The presidential election is above party politics and no party can officially enforce any whip. So, I appeal to all the members of electoral colleges in all the states to vote for me without any doubt or fear,” Sangma said while addressing a press conference at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) airport near Guwahati. He said he would begin his campaign for the presidential polls from Tura Sunday.
Sangma, who arrived from New Delhi Saturday, left for Tura straight from the airport after the press conference. Sangma was also given a red carpet welcome by several organizations and people from Meghalaya and other states of the region at the airport.
He slammed media reports about apprehensions and calculations of votes over the presidential elections and said: “It’s very unconstitutional to count the party wise vote values regarding the presidential election. The election for the president’s post is above party politics and that is why there is no party symbol used. The election is also conducted very confidentially through secret ballots.”
The veteran politician, however, expressed his confidence about winning the presidential elections. “I have contested parliamentary elections nine times and legislative assembly elections twice and I won all of them. I never lost elections in my life and I am going to win this presidential election too,” he said.
“I am very happy to tell you that I have received lots of support from the northeastern states. I thank the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) of Assam, United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State Peoples’ Democratic Party of Meghalaya, Mizo National Front (MNF) of Mizoram and many more parties who have decided to support me,” he said.
- Presidential poll: Sangma hopeful of win, Trinamool support - Jul 15, 2012
- In Meghalaya, Sangma's chances are the talking point (With Images) (Meghalaya Newsletter) - Jul 20, 2012
- Sangma's tribal card draws bouquets, brickbats in Meghalaya - Jul 22, 2012
- Meghalaya's UDP to support Sangma in presidential poll - Jul 02, 2012
- Tribal Forum of India to float new party: Sangma - Jul 31, 2012
- Meghalaya CM urges coalition partners not to support Sangma - Jul 06, 2012
- I will be India's next president: Purno Sangma (Interview) - Jul 02, 2012
- Pranab will out-do Sangma in northeast: Congress - Jul 19, 2012
- Sangma files nomination, says it's victory of tribal unity (Lead) - Jun 28, 2012
- 'P.A. Sangma does not represent tribals' - Jul 02, 2012
- Presidential election: Break-up of votes polled - Jul 22, 2012
- Sangma seeks debate with Pranab (Lead) - Jun 22, 2012
- Syndicate could turn tables on Pranab: Sangma (Interview) - Jul 11, 2012
- AGP to support Sangma in Presidential poll - Jun 23, 2012
- Northeast's lawmakers vote in presidential poll - Jul 19, 2012
Tags: apprehensions, asom, assam, assembly elections, candidature, carpet welcome, electoral colleges, guwahati, legislative assembly, Lok Sabha, nine times, northeastern states, parliamentary elections, party politics, party symbol, presidential elections, presidential polls, red carpet, secret ballots, veteran politician