BJP demands rejection of Pranab's candidature for Prez poll

Demanding rejection of Pranab Mukherjee's nomination papers on the ground that he held an Office of Profit, BJP today asked Congress not to bend rules
over the issue to have its way as the matter concerns the highest constitutional office of the country.

BJP expressed confidence that its objection against Mukherjee's candidature for presidential poll as he is chairman of Indian Statistical Institute will stand and his nomination will be rejected.

"As a lawyer and on the basis of the objections that we have raised, I have full confidence that Pranab Mukherjee's nomination will be rejected and P A Sangma will be declared elected unopposed as the President of India," former BJP MP Satpal Jain, who filed the objection on Sangma's behalf, said.

Interestingly, the party conceded that the post of chairperson, ISI, comes under those which have been exempted under the Office of Profit rules but insisted this applies only to MPs and MLAs and not the President of India.    BJP also asked Congress not to bend rules on this issue to have its way.

"This issue is about the exalted and highest constitutional office of the President of India..... Congress' history in such matters is very, very dismal and unsatisfactory. In 2008, we all know what was done and how procurement of manufactured majority came up and how MPs were sought to be purchased," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The party also appealed to the Election Commission of India to seize all records of ISI to prevent any tampering with regard to Mukherjee's status there. BJP rejected Mukherjee's claim that he had resigned on June 20 from ISI.

"As far as our information is concerned, this is factually not correct. But we will wait for a proper reply from the representatives of Pranab Mukherjee," Prasad said. BJP maintained the websites of both Lok Sabha Secretariat
and ISI showed Mukherjee as chairperson of ISI.