July 17, 2012
`Trinamool Congress to vote Pranab Mukherjee in presidential polls, it is our democratic compulsion`: Ms. Mamata Banerjee
Trinamool Congress Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee holds meeting with Trinamool Congress Member of Parliaments (MP) and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) to discuss their views on the presidential candidature and immediately after the meeting the Chairperson ib PRESS briefing at the Writers` Building announced Pranab Mukherjee`s name for presidential candidate. `This is a collective decision we have taken at the party level and my party members have ushered in the responsibility to announce the decision in front of you all. I reiterate there is no pressure from any quarters`, said the Chairperson.
Speaking on this occasion Ms. Mamata Banerjee said, `We had two options � one to abstain from the election and the other to exercise our franchise`. This is the reason she had called all the leaders to discuss the next course of action at the Writers` Building. `However, if we abstain from polling then Pranab Mukherjee would get 50,000 votes since we are the second largest political alliance having our presence in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Uttar Pradesh apart from West Bengal. In such a situation Pranab Mukherjee would get these votes and win by default and if we vote then naturally it will be added`.
`Honestly, I would have gone for Dr. Kalam had he not expressed his unwillingness to contest the presidential elections. It is our misfortune that we could not have him as president but then we have no other option other than respecting his views`, she added.
`In such a situation we have no other options but to extend our support to Pranab Mukherjee since wasting votes is undemocratic, said Ms. Banerjee.
