Contest is on

The UPA turned up in full strength except the Trinamool Congress as its presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee filed his nomination papers before Rajya Sabha Secretary General V K Agnihotri who is the Returning Officer for the July 19 election. NDA constituents JDU and Shiv Sena,and the CPM,which have also backed Mukherjees candidature,preferred to stay away.

Soon after filing the papers,Mukherjee,who is expected to sail through,thanked parties which supported his candidature. I seek the support of all those including Trinamool Congress,who have not yet decided, he said. Those who have taken the decision to oppose me have every right to do so in a democracy.

He will get votes beyond anyones imagination. It is a one-sided affair, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. Mukherjee was flanked by PM Manmohan Singh,Sonia Gandhi,Rahul Gandhi,SPs Mulayam Singh Yadav,BSPs S C Mishra,DMKs T R Baalu,RJDs Lalu Prasad,NCPs D P Tripathi,and LJPs Ram Vilas Paswan. Eight Congress CMs were also present.