'Raisina Hill being used as dumping ground for failed finance minister': Sangma

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Former Lok Sabha speaker and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed presidential candidate P.A. Sangma on Tuesday took potshots at UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee, saying Raisina Hill is being used as a dumping ground for a failed finance minister.

"Whatever problem is there in the country today, the price rise problem, the GDP growth rate problem, the FDI problem, petrol price problem, Finance Minister is to be responsible, for which he is to be dumped. And unfortunately, Raisina Hill has become a dumping ground. It is unfortunate for India," Sangma told media here.

Sangma, who has been at loggerheads with Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) over the presidential poll, also made a last attempt to convince them to back his candidature in the race for Raisina Hill.

"I have come here to appeal to all other political parties, especially the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Bal Thackeray ji to appeal to them to support my candidature. I have in a small humble way contributed to the growth of NCP, and the least I expect from today, is their support. Sharad Pawar has been very kind to me, and I sincerely hope he continues to be kind with me," he said.

It may be recalled here that Sangma had quit the NCP last month, as his own party did not want him to contest against Pranab Mukherjee backed by the ruling Congress Party.

When asked whether it would be possible for him to meet Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray during this visit, as his further programmes had already been planned, Sangma jocularly said: "Not everything in politics happens through meetings. Like you (media) have channels, we also have several channels."

Further commenting on Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid's remarks that Rahul Gandhi is only playing a 'cameo role' and Congress is directionless, Sangma said: "Despite making these remarks, how is Khurshid continuing in the Union Cabinet. This means that it is not he, but 10, Janpath which is saying these things," he said.

Sangma, who enjoys the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the AIADMK, is pitted against Pranab Mukherjee.

The presidential elections will be held on July 19. The vote count will take place on July 22.

Pratibha Devisingh Patil's term as President ends on July 24.