By IANS,
New Delhi : Former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma Friday expressed confidence in getting the support of the Trinamool Congress for the presidential election and is banking upon a “conscience vote”.
“I am constantly in touch with her. I am going to meet her in the next couple of days. I am very much hopeful of her support,” Sangma told news channel CNN-IBN.
Even as the numbers favour United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Pranab Mukherjee, Sangma said: “The election is governed by Article 55 and the Article 55 is clear that the election shall be by a secret ballot. The question of numbers does not arise at all at this stage.”
“Secret ballot means conscience vote. I depend on the conscience vote and I believe in the conscience vote,”he said.
On division among UPA and Left front, Sangma said: “There is a split in almost all political parties. That shows this election is a serious election. It’s not as smooth as the Congress is claiming it to be. There is a split because people are giving serious thought to it. This is a welcome development.”
“Pranab Mukherjee is also not getting an undivided UPA. Mamata Banerjee is a part of UPA and she is not supporting Pranab Mukherjee as yet.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday announced its support to Sangma.
Going by figures, Mukherjee gets 56.17 percent of votes of electoral college, while Sangma gets 31.7 percent.