Title - AICC writes to Trinamool MLAs, MPs: ‘Back Pranab’ - Express India

AICC writes to Trinamool MLAs, MPs: ‘Back Pranab’
Express news service
Posted: Jul 13, 2012 at 0449 hrs IST





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Kolkata A day after Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee decided to send Railway Minister Mukul Roy to the UPA meeting in Delhi on July 14 to decide on the vice-presidential candidate, the AICC has written to MLAs and MPs of Trinamool Congress seeking support for the UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee.
Pradyot Guha, Mukherjee’s aide, told The Indian Express from Delhi: “The AICC has written on behalf of Pranabda to all 5,000 MLAs and MPs — and they include those from parties like the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, which are not supporting him — to cast their vote in his favour.”

Some Trinamool Congress MPs have received the letter, Kunal Ghosh, Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP who is travelling with Mamata in north Bengal, said. “But we are all loyal soldiers of the party and will abide by the decision of our leader Mamata,” Ghosh added.

The AICC letter reportedly states that Mukherjee has his roots in Bengal. The President is above party politics and an upholder of the Constitution, it adds.

Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien, who received a copy of the letter, told PTI that Mukherjee appealed for support for his candidature. In the letter, Derek said, Mukherjee spoke of his long political career and experience.

Trinamool sources said the letter should have been sent to party chief Mamata, who will take the final decision regarding who to vote for in the presidential poll.