Don't bring Prez elections to ordinary level: Pranab

The United Progressive Alliance Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday asked political parties not to bring the campaign down to the level of ordinary poll, a day after his opponent Bharatiya Janata Party-backed nominee P A Sangma appealed for votes on the plank of tribal identity.

"I have appealed to all political parties not to bring the campaign to the level of ordinary elections because presidential election has its own significance and stature," Mukherjee said in an apparent reference to Sangma playing the tribal card during his visit here yesterday.

Sangma had said he was sure that legislators from tribal-dominated Jharkhand would vote for him as he was a tribal.

In another apparent reference to Sangma saying whips of political parties carry no weight in Presidential elections, Mukherjee said it was expected that members of parties would go by their parties' decisions.

"Please remember that in this election, members of the electoral college, (are) almost 99 percent are of party nominees (legislators), besides the independents," he said.

"So, with (political) parties taking a decision, it is expected that the members will go along party lines," Mukherjee said at a press conference.

Stating that there was nothing wrong in campaigning, the veteran leader said he had also come here to campaign, "But you have to keep this (not bringing the campaign down to ordinary level) in mind."

Mukherjee, who was received by Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan at BNR Hotel, met Jharkhand Mukti Morcha Supremo Shibu Soren and Ajsu party president and Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahto and other legislators.