M A I N   N E W S

With no option left, Mamata says will vote for Pranab
Anita Katyal/TNS

New Delhi, July 17
Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced the party’s decision to vote for Pranab Mukherjee in the Presidential election. The last-minute decision not only ensured a record victory for the UPA nominee, but also presented an opportunity to the ruling coalition to dispel the impression that it was in disarray.

Relieved after Mamata’s decision, Mukherjee’s election manager and Parliamentary Affairs Minister PK Bansal declared that the UPA candidate would now get 7.2 lakh votes, a record of sorts. Opposition nominee PA Sangma is expected to garner around 3.13 lakh votes, he stated.

Although Mukherjee’s victory was assured after major regional players SP and BSP pledged support to him, Mamata’s silence was rankling the Congress, which was unhappy that a key UPA ally should abstain or vote against its Presidential nominee.

Mamata’s opposition to Mukherjee was viewed in Congress circles as a setback since it exposed differences within the UPA. It is relieved that this perception now stands corrected.

The Trinamool chief’s announcement was, therefore, welcomed graciously by Mukherjee and the Congress. “I welcome the decision taken by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee,” he said and later called her up as well. Mamata invited Pranab to Kolkata and hoped he would join her for a cup of tea.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “This will further strengthen Pranab Mukherjee’s campaign and he will emerge victorious with far greater majority.”

Mamata said she was not happy with her decision, but admitted she had “no option but to support Pranab Mukherjee”. “It’s a painful decision. The TMC wanted APJ Abdul Kalam to contest but he didn’t get the support of all parties,” she said after the party meeting.

Mamata had two choices: either support Mukherjee or abstain from voting. If she had decided to vote for Sangma, it would have meant her exit from the UPA. Also, many Trinamool MPs had conveyed their desire to vote for Mukherjee, as they did not want to vote against the country’s first Bengali President.

Trinamool insiders said Mamata realised she did not stand to gain political mileage from opposing Mukherjee as she had no explanation for the decision. While Mamata will wait for an opportune moment to strike back at the Congress, the Trinamool chief is acutely aware that she has become dispensable for the UPA.

All set for record win

• Pranab’s election manager said the UPA candidate would now get 7.2 lakh votes as against Opposition nominee PA Sangma’s around 3.13 lakh in Thursday’s contest
• Apart from all UPA constituents, Pranab enjoys the backing of the SP, BSP and RJD, which are extending outside support to the UPA
• NDA constituents JD(U) and Shiv Sena’s backing was the icing on the cake
• Several smaller parties that account for about 32,000 votes will also back Pranab