Purno Sangma

Shillong, July 5: The United Democratic Party (UDP) and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), both constituents of the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government, have been asked by chief minister Mukul Sangma to toe the UPA line and vote for Pranab Mukherjee in the July 19 presidential poll.

On Monday, the UDP had formally pledged its support to Independent candidate Purno Agitok Sangma in the presidential race. The party had also said the decision to back Sangma would not have any bearing on the state coalition.

HSPDP chief Hoping Stone Lyngdoh had also announced his support for Sangma’s candidature.

However, the chief minister told reporters today he had spoken to UDP president Donkupar Roy yesterday, inviting party leaders to visit Guwahati tomorrow for a meeting with the UPA presidential nominee Mukherjee.

“I have told him (Roy) that since we are in the same coalition, we should decide jointly. I have also written another letter to the UDP leadership requesting them to review their decision (to support Sangma) in the true spirit of coalition government, and support the UPA candidate instead. UDP leaders have also been requested to meet Mukherjee in Guwahati tomorrow,” Sangma said.

On the other hand, Roy told The Telegraph the party would stick to its decision to support the former Lok Sabha Speaker and there was no question of reviewing the decision.

“He (chief minister) has requested me to review the decision. However, I have told him it was a decision taken by party legislators. Party workers have also expressed to legislators that they should support the senior Sangma in the presidential election. There is no question of reviewing our decision,” the UDP chief said.

On the question of whether UDP leaders would go down to Guwahati for a meeting with Mukherjee, Roy was uncertain and stated those who are free could go and meet the UPA presidential candidate.

“I am personally not free tomorrow. Others who are free may go,” he said.

The MUA will be meeting on July 12 to have further deliberations on the presidential poll.

Conditional support

The AIUDF, an ally of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre and the main Opposition party in Congress-ruled Assam, will lay down certain conditions in the interest of Assam and the Assamese to support presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee.

Mukherjee is arriving here tomorrow afternoon to campaign for his candidature.

The trip assumes significance because Mukherjee’s rival P.A. Sangma hails from the Northeast.

AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam told The Telegraph that 18 MLAs and MPs would have a discussion before meeting Mukherjee.

“Our meeting was scheduled for this evening but had to be put off because of shab-e-barat. Our president Badruddin Ajmal has always pledged support to Mukherjee but we will highlight issues concerning Assam and the Assamese people during our interaction with the UPA nominee,” Islam said.

Assam PCC spokesperson Rajesh Joshi said after a meeting of PCC office-bearers, chaired by state unit president Bhubaneswar Kalita at Rajiv Bhawan here this evening, “The UPA nominee will meet the BPF and AIUDF delegations separately, besides the chief ministers, PCC presidents and MLAs of Congress-ruled states of the region to seek their support tomorrow afternoon.”

The meeting with the AIUDF will follow the one with Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), the coalition partner of the Congress at Dispur.

BPF sources said they would support Mukherjee and have no plans of raising any issue during their interaction.

For an hour before his meeting with the BPF and AIUDF, Mukherjee will be closeted with Congress chief ministers and PCC presidents of the Northeast.

“He will address Congress MLAs and Assam PCC office-bearers at the Sankardeva Kalakshetra from 6pm,” Joshi said, adds our special correspondent from Guwahati.