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Mayawati signs papers for Pratibha

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday signed the first set of nomination papers of the UPA-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil, in the presence of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi.

Mr. Dasmunsi, who came as an emissary of the United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, met Ms. Mayawati at her residence. She also had a telephonic talk with Ms. Gandhi.

The support of 207 MLAs of Ms. Mawayati’s Bahujan Samaj Party and three others in the State will increase the tally of Ms. Patil in the July 19 election. Talking to newspersons, Mr. Dasmunsi assailed the National Democratic Alliance and the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for refusing to support the UPA nominee.

Recalling that Ms. Gandhi had extended support to NDA candidate A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in the 2002 Presidential election, the Minister said the NDA had failed to follow convention.

Mr. Dasmunsi made light of the newly launched United National Progressive Alliance’s suggestion favouring a second term for Mr. Kalam. Describing the Third Front an “ex-Chief Ministers’ club,” he dubbed it a subsidiary of the NDA.

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