Congress misusing power to ensure Pranab's win: BJP

Kolkata: BJP on Monday alleged that Congress is misusing power to influence voting in the presidential elections and claimed the results will be surprising nevertheless.

"Some states are being given packages. That should not be used as a means to influence them. It should be ensured that power is not misused to influence voting," BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

He questioned Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement raising concern over political clashes in West Bengal indicating that it might be a "threat" to get votes.

Some states are being given packages. That should not be used as a means to influence them, Shahnawaz Hussain said.

Asked about the chances of winning of BJP-backed presidential candidate PA Sangma, he claimed the results will leave everyone surprised.

"Even a UPA partner (Trinamool Congress) has not supported him (Pranab). The results of this presidential election will be surprising," he said. On getting the support of Trinamool Congress for Sangma, the BJP leader said Mamata Banerjee will soon take a decision. "It should be remembered that the election is not for a state or for any language. It is for the entire nation," Hussain said.

On CPI(M)'s support to Mukherjee's candidature, Hussain said Congress has always been close to Communists.

"Pranab had always supported the Communist rule in West Bengal and now they are giving him a reward for that," he said. Addressing a meeting of BJP minority morcha, Hussain said that unlike other parties, BJP did not fall into the category of being either a secular or a communal party.

"We treat all religions as equal. We believe in nationalism and taking everybody together with us," he said and alleged that Congress, on the other hand, was "communal" in nature.

"We treat Congress as a communal party. They use secularism as a formula to win elections," Hussain said. "As a spokesperson of the party, I am saying that our duty towards Muslims is as much as that towards Hindus," he said.

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