Sangma meeets Mamata

Kolkata, June 26 (IANS) Presidential candidate P.A. Sangma Tuesday began talks with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking her vote for his bid for the top post.

Sangma, who arrived in the city Monday night, went to the state secretariat Writers' Buildings for talks with the Trinamool Congress chief.

The Trinamool, the second largest constituent of the ruling United Progressive Alliance in New Delhi, is yet to announce its stand on the presidential choice after its preferred candidate, former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam declined to contest.

Pitted against United Progressive Alliance rival Pranab Mukherjee, Sangma has the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and some constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), as also the AIADMK and the Biju Janata Dal.

However, the electoral arithmetic seems to be favouring Mukherjee now with all UPA constituents except Trinamool rooting for him and parties like the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India-Marxist, the All India Forward Bloc, the Janata Dal-United and the Shiv Sena also expressing their support.

Mamata Banerjee has so far been firmly opposing Mukherjee's bid for the country's presidency.