Jayalalithaa steps up campaign for Sangma

CHENNAI, May 20, 2012

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister sought support from several non-Congress leaders including L.K. Advani, Prakash Karat, A.B. Bardhan, and Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Stepping up her campaign for former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma's candidature for Presidency, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa on Sunday contacted top leaders of several non-Congress parties including BJP veteran L.K. Advani, seeking their support to the tribal leader.



Ms. Jayalalithaa spoke over telephone to Mr. Advani, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, CPI leader A.B. Bardhan, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Shironmani Akali Dal leader and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, an AIADMK release said here.



As part of the "intensified efforts" to garner support for Mr. Sangma, Ms. Jayalalithaa spoke to these leaders seeking their support the tribal leader from the north-east who "has all the qualifications" (to become President) in the coming Presidential polls, it said.



Ms. Jayalalithaa's latest initiative comes two days after she asked all parties to "rise above political considerations," and support the tribal leader for the top job.



In a coordinated move, Ms. Jayalalithaa and her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik on May 17 announced their joint support to Mr. Sangma.



The AIADMK chief had held consultations with Mr. Patnaik besides within her party before announcing her support to Mr. Sangma, who himself had called on her on May 15.



The Nationalist Congress Party, to which Mr. Sangma belongs, however, has ruled out supporting his candidature, saying it would go with the UPA being a part of it.
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