Sangma camp dares Pranab to face probe

Daring UPA's presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee to face a probe into the legality and validity of his resignation from the ISI, Kolkata, supporters of rival candidate P A Sangma on Monday asserted to consider an election petition against Mukherjee if the Election Commission did not rule in its favour.

"We will not go to the Supreme Court if the EC gives verdict in our favour," Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, who is assisting Sangma's presidential bid, said in response to reporters' query whether they will file an election petition against Mukherjee. Swamy was addressing a press conference after making written submission to the EC on Monday to register their protest against Returning Officer's ruling rejecting Sangma's objections to Mukherjee's candidature.

Sangma's camp indicated that their petition to the EC was a part of their strategy to exhaust all possible options for relief before they approached the court. "Suppose, the EC says we are right, then why should we move the SC? We are moving one by one as per the settled procedure of law," Sangma's authorised representative Satya Pal Jain said, asserting that "all options are open". "As soon as the EC decision comes, we will take a decision. We will take this issue to its logical conclusion," Jain asserted.

Swamy and Jain claimed that they had sound legal objections and dared Mukherjee to face a probe for the sake of country's image at international fora.

"Mr Mukherjee, if you are honest, you should come forward and withdraw nomination and contest (presidential) election five years later. Least, he should be ready to face an inquiry," Swamy said. He charged that Mukherjee's resignation from the office of profit was backdated and raised doubts about the legality and validity of Mukherjee's signature pointing out that Sangma's camp had consulted forensic experts and found it not matching to his real signatures. "I know who has done it (signed on behalf of Mukherjee). in fact, it has been a habit. I will disclose it at an appropriate time," Swamy said.

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