Monday, July 9, 2012

Modi bats for ‘clean, innocent’ Sangma

Backing the candidature of P A Sangma for the Presidential election, Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday showered praise on the former Union minister and said the time has come for him to become the first tribal President. 

“From Gujarat, no leader has been elected as MP nine times. He (Sangma) has served as Union minister for 18 years and also served as the CM of Meghalaya. And in his long career, no agency, be it CBI, CAG or any other, has ever tried to touch him. He has not got any black spot in his long career,” Modi said with Sangma on his side at a function organised by the Netaji Subhas Bose’s INA Trust. 

“Tribals of the country are waiting for a tribal in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Fourteen parties have supported him and I believe that miracles do happen today,” he said. “The sun rises in the east and the time has come that Sangmaji, who hails from North-East, becomes the first tribal President... We wish an innocent tribal leader be the First Citizen of India,” Modi added. 

Sangma, who was “overwhelmed” by the colourful reception he got right from his landing at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport where Sidi tribals and others performed, avoided speaking on his candidature at the function. 

Later, at a press conference, he said, “I have come hear to request all the tribals, Dalits, OBCs and minority MLAs from all the parties to support my candidature like they had supported the first SC President, K R Narayan.”