Naveen Patnaik is Sangma’s proposer for president’s poll

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Bhubaneswar, June 26 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday emerged as the first proposer for former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma’s candidature for the July 19 presidential election.

Sangma’s son Conrad Sangma, who was here to secure support for his father, said Patnaik was the first to sign on the nomination paper for the elderly Sangma.

Conrad Sangma met Patnaik at Naveen Nivas, the official residence of the chief minister, and held discussions with him.

The junior Sangma later told reporters that about 100 lawmakers of the state’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), including members of the state assembly, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, signed the paper. While 50 members, including the chief minister, signed as proposers, others put their signatures as seconders, he said.

Patnaik, last month, proposed the name of P.A. Sangma for the country’s top post after holding discussion with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.

Patnaik was the first to announce Sangma’s name. The BJD has 108 members in the state’s 147-member assembly, 14 members in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha.

IANS 2012-06-26 22:18:23