Launching his campaign for the Presidential election in which he appears set for a cakewalk, United Progressive Alliance [ Images ] nominee Pranab Mukherjee [ Images ] on Saturday appealed to all political parties to back his candidature, apparently eyeing Mamata Banerjee's [ Images ] Trinamool Congress [ Images ].
Mukherjee met UPA's key partner Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's [ Images ] president M Karunanidhi [ Images ] at his residence in Chennai, formally kick-starting the campaign.
The former finance minister, who enjoys a close rapport with Karunanidhi, said it was natural to start the campaign from Chennai as DMK was a stable partner of the UPA.
"DMK is a stable partner of UPA-I and UPA II. Therefore, it is quite natural that I have started my campaign with the blessings and support of Dr Karunanidhi and from Chennai itself," Mukherjee told reporters, ahead of his meeting with Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assembly of the Congress and other UPA allies, to enlist their support.
Mukherjee, who is pitted against former Lok Sabha Speaker [ Images ] P A Sangma, said that apart from the UPA, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India [ Images ] - Marxist, Forward Bloc, Janata Dal - United and Shiv Sena [ Images ] have also extended their support to his candidature.
"I am seeking the support of those political parties which have not yet declared their choice for the Presidential election," he said.
His remarks are apparently aimed at wooing West Bengal [ Images ] Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had promoted the candidacy of former President A P J Abdul Kalam [ Images ] after rejecting Congress president Sonia Gandhi's [ Images ] proposal on Mukherjee.
After her joint proposal with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav [ Images ] backfired with the latter backing Mukherjee, Banerjee has kept everyone guessing on her support.
Mukherjee chose Chennai to start his campaign at the behest of the DMK patriarch.
Outgoing President Pratibha Patil [ Images ] had also chosen Chennai as the launch pad for her Presidential campaign in 2007.
A traditional welcome was given to Mukherjee when he arrived in Chennai. Karunanidhi's daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, her husband Aravindhan and DMK Parliamentary Party leader T R Baalu warmly greeted Mukherjee.
Mukherjee, who arrived by a special aircraft, was given a rousing reception at the Tambaram Air Force Station. He was received by Union ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad [ Images ], V Narayanaswamy and state Congress leaders.
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