M A I N   N E W S

Pranab comes calling, meets Punjab, Himachal & Haryana legislators
Naveen S Garewal/TNS

Chandigarh, July 15
UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee flew into Chandigarh from Srinagar on Sunday afternoon as part of his country-wide tour to seek support for the July 19 poll.

Pranab held separate meetings with MLAs of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh during his half-day visit, wherein they promised him all support. Haryana Chief Minister Bhoopinder Singh Hooda hosted a dinner for Pranab Mukherjee later in the evening.

A Punjab Congress delegation lead by Sunil Jakhar, Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, received and welcomed Pranab at the airport. Also present were GS Charak, Congress in-charge for Punjab affairs and Haryana Chief Minister Hooda with a delegation of state Congressmen.

Pranab said he had been closely associated with party leaders and workers as the in-charge of Punjab Congress affairs. He asked Congress MLAs to be present in full strength for the election to ensure him a comfortable win. He said he had served the Congress all his life and now wished to serve the nation.

Jakhar described Pranab as an erudite scholar and a man of vast political experience and said he would contribute immensely to the office of the President of India. He promised Mukherjee full support from the party’s state unit.

Pranab Mukherjee has built consensus on his name among almost all UPA partners and has even been able to convince CPI, CPM, BSP, Shiv Sena and Janata Dal(U) to support his candidature.