Prez poll: BJP, JD(U) appeal to each other to change position

With JD(U) and Shiv Sena having drifted away, BJP was trying to reach out to Trinamool Congress to rope in its support for P A Sangma who was pinning hopes on "conscience" vote in the July 19 Presidential poll in which Mukherjee appears set to be a clear winner.

A day after the Presidential poll issue divided NDA, BJP spokesman Ravi Shanker Prasad appealed to JD(U) as well as Shiv Sena to come around to support Sangma.

"We appeal to JD(U) and Shiv Sena to review their decision to support Mukherjee in the presidential poll and instead back NDA nominee P A Sangma in the election for the top constitutional post," BJP national spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in Patna.

JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari was quick to retort with a counter appeal.

"We also appeal to the BJP to back the candidature of a seasoned and experienced politician like Pranab Mukherjee so that a person with intelligence and commitment to the Constitution and Parliamentary democracy occupies the chair of President," he said.

He also objected to Prasad's contention that Mukherjee was responsible for the problems the country's economy was facing and virtually spoke the UPA government's line on the issue.

Asserting that Mukherjee was not "responsible" for the mess in the Indian economy, he said that the economic crisis as a result of host of issues, including global economic situation. (MORE)