Sangma, Agatha and Pawar

New Delhi, May 23: The Congress today mounted a counter-offensive against P.A. Sangma’s bid to become President, rallying its own tribal leaders to establish that the NCP leader was only nurturing his personal ambitions by playing the tribal card.

Sangma received a shock from his own party too, with NCP chief Sharad Pawar asking the former Speaker’s daughter Agatha to stop campaigning for her father while she was a minister in the UPA.

NCP leaders said Sangma’s projection as the next President by leaders opposed to the Congress, such as Jayalalithaa and Naveen Patnaik, has created much unease in the party. Sangma’s daughter had accompanied him to Chennai to meet Jayalalithaa.

Pawar appeared to understand the oddity of a minister campaigning for a presidential candidate who does not enjoy the backing of the government. The NCP has already said it would go by the collective decision of the UPA.

Pawar’s stance has emboldened the Congress. Party leaders who spoke against Sangma, including several Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, accused him of not only misusing the tribal card for personal benefit but also of playing into the hands of communal forces.

“One should not declare himself as a presidential candidate. It is such a high office. It has never been demanded by any individual. The country chooses... electoral college decides it. But Sangma has claimed it as a tribal leader, which is wrong,” party leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi told a news conference, at which several party MPs were present.

Asked whether they were against a tribal candidate, Jogi said: “We are not against any candidate. The UPA has not decided on it as efforts to build a consensus are on.”

Publicly, the Congress described the news conference as Jogi’s individual initiative. But there is little doubt that Jogi would not do anything without clearance from the top. Neither would the MPs have joined him. Jogi is also the head of the AICC Scheduled Tribes’ department.

One tribal MP present at the news conference told The Telegraph: “We discussed the matter at the Prime Minister’s (UPA anniversary) dinner last night and decided to take it up. Jogi obviously consulted the higher authorities before going ahead. Sangma used the tribal card without the support of the community (tribals). He is being propped up by the BJP, which is plotting to derail the Congress plan.”

Jogi recalled an earlier presidential election. “Once a tribal leader from Meghalaya (Sangma’s home state), G.G. Swell, was the candidate and then Sangma had opposed him. Now he is seeking support in the name of tribals.”

Jharkhand Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Balmuchu said: “Sangma belongs to the NCP and even his party is not supporting him on the issue.” The other leaders present included minister of state for water resources Vincent Pala, Manipur MP Rishang Keishing, Arunachal MP Ninong Ering and Madhya Pradesh MP Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi.