Kolkata, July 6: Union Ministers P. Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal asserted here on Thursday that Pranab Mukherjee, United Progressive Alliance’s nominee for President will win with 65 per cent of the valid votes.
They, however, declined to comment on the stand of the Trinamool Congress on the matter.
“Don’t bring the Trinamool Congress into it, but I’ll give you the answer. One way or another, we will win with 65 per cent of the valid votes cast,” Mr. Chidambaram told journalists when asked whether they were able to persuade Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to support Mr. Mukherjee’s candidature.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Sibal met Ms. Banerjee who is also the chairperson of the Trinamool Congress at the State Secretariat.
Asked whether he had sought her support for Mr. Mukherjee’s candidature he said that no discussions were held on the issue.
“My discussion with Mamataji centred on the students of the State and their future,” he said.
Mr. Sibal said he did not feel there was a possibility of a change of “political equations” at the Centre in the present circumstances.
To queries on the assessment of the Trinamool as an alliance partner, Mr. Chidambaram said: “Our partners choose us to partner with… in UPA II TMC has chosen to be our partner…. They chose us and we are happy.”
On allowing foreign direct investment in multi brand retail, another area where the Trinamool Congress has expressed its reservations, Mr. Chidambaram said once the government went ahead with the decision, the States who are in favour of it would implement it and those against it would not. Many States were in favour of FDI and only a few against it, he pointed out.
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