Sangma toys with challenge in SC

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Former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma, who lost to UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential race, is toying with the idea of challenging Mr Mukherjee’s election in the Supreme Court.

Though Mr Sangma had congratulated Mr Mukherjee after the later won the presidential polls, the former Lok Sabha Speaker had also said that the option of approaching the Supreme Court against the election was open. Mr Sangma’s candidature was backed by the Opposition including BJP, AIADMK and BJD.

Mr Sangma’s legal team, it is learnt, is contemplating to file an election petition in the apex court on the grounds that Mr Mukherjee continued to hold an office of profit post even after filing his nominations. The petition will demand that Mr Mukherjee’s candidature should be declared “invalid” and his election should be declared “null and void.”

“The legal team assisting Mr Sangma will discuss the issue over the weekend and take a final decision,” said Mr Sangma’s lawyer and BJP leader Satpal Jain. Also, Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy, who is also part of the legal team is currently not in the country and will be back later this week.

It could be recalled that Mr Sangma had earlier filed a petition in this regard with the Election Commission also but it got rejected. Mr Mukherjee’s office had also refuted the allegation saying he had resigned from the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) before filing his nominations and had not been drawing any salary or allowance.

Meanwhile, NDA leaders met on Tuesday to chalk out their strategy for the upcoming Vice Presidential polls. Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh is NDA’s candidate and is contesting against UPA’s Hamid Ansari. Sources disclosed BJP has nominated its leaders — Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Shahnawaz Hussain to assist Mr Singh in his campaign for polls.