Patna, July 14: Exactly two hours before Purno A. Sangma landed here to solicit support in his fight for the President’s post, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar flew off to Bettiah to lay the foundation of a study centre and returned only after the NDA’s presidential nominee had left the state.

The division between the BJP and the JD(U) — the ruling NDA partners — was evident. While Sangma requested “all political formations” to rise above party lines, state JD(U) chief Basistha Narayan Singh called a news conference to deliberate on how his party’s membership drive was uniquely linked to the care of environment and ecology.

An ever-smiling Sangma, however, tried to rise above the bitterness. “Nitish Kumarji is my intimate friend. I still expect that he will rise above party considerations to support me,” he said. Sangma then turned philosophical, saying he wanted to put up a fight as “people were looking for a change”.

“It does not matter if I win or lose. I have entered the presidential poll fray to herald the beginning of a bigger change that the people across the country wish,” he said.

On chances of his “intimate friend” undergoing a change of mind, Sangma said: “Friendship is different. And so is politics. I am sure Nitish and I will remain friends.”

Senior BJP leaders, including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Vijay Goel and Shahnawaz Hussain, accompanied Sangma from Delhi to Patna.