President poll: PA Sangma camp says Pranab Mukherjee is holding office of profit

New Delhi: Presidential nominee PA Sangma's camp on Monday raised objection to Pranab Mukherjee's nomination for the top post, saying the UPA candidate was holding an office of profit as the Chairman of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata and has not yet resigned from the position.

Former BJP MP Satyapal Jain objected to Pranab's candidature, alleging he should be barred from contesting the President poll as he is holding an office of profit.

However, ISI Kolkata said that Mukherjee had resigned as the chairman of the institute on June 20. "It was an honorary position and he didn't take any remuneration," the ISI said.

Pranab Mukherjee\'s opponents say he is still the Chairman of ISI, Kolkata, but the institute says he resigned on June 20.

Sources close to Mukherjee confirmed that had been given the honourary post of the head of Indian Statistical Institute, but he quit before filing his nomination paper for the Presidential election. Sources say that Mukherjee only attended the ISI ceremonies.

Sources said the scrutiny of nomination papers for the Presidential election has been postponed to Tuesday.

Mukherjee is considered to be the overwhelming favourite as he is supported by the all Congress-led United Progressive Alliance partners except the Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Janata Dal (United), Communist Party of India-Marxist and several smaller parties.

On the other hand Sangma has the backing of the BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal, Biju Janata Dal and the AIADMK.

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