A meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s house on June 15, 2012 where the UPA finally declared Pranab Mukherjee as their candidate for the President of India. The Congress President Sonia Gandhi announced the candidature and appealed to all the political parties to support him.
Gandhi was flanked by all the UPA allies when she was making the announcement. The Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee did not attend the meeting as the decision to nominate the Finance Minister was made against her wishes.
Mujherjee had also made personal appeal to Mamata, but the West Bengal Chief Minister was in no mood to end her war with the Congress over the presidential candidate. Mukherjee is expected to resign from the Ministry of Finance on June 24.
After the announcement by Ms. Gandhi, Mukherjee said, “I am deeply honored on my nomination as a candidate for the election to the office for the President of India by my party and the UPA2. I am grateful to Congress president Shrimati Sonia Gandhi for this recognition. I accept this offer with all humility”. Mr. Pranab also expressed that he has been fortunate enough to receive love and affection and confidence of his party colleagues and the members of other political parties.
