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Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma on Tuesday sought to reach out to political parties, saying he hoped they would respond “to the call of conscience of the tribal people of the nation” and support his bid to become India 's next president. Sangma, who met Biju Janata Dal chief and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in New Delhi along with some tribal MPs, claimed he had the support of the tribal leaders across the parties who are “fighting a common cause of projecting a tribal as a presidential candidate.” "We hope that other political groups including UPA and NDA will respond to the call of conscience of the nation by the tribal people and support us in the coming presidential election," he told reporters here flanked by Patnaik. Asked if he is in touch with other political parties to garner support for Sangma, Patnaik said it was their duty to bring all political parties onboard on the issue of supporting the former Speaker. “I think it is obvious my colleague Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha and I... of course we will be speaking to our colleagues who are many. It is our duty to gather together the political parties of the country (for supporting Sangma)...There has been a very encouraging response. I am sure my colleague in Tamil Nadu will echo my views,” he said. Both Patnaik and Jayalalitha had announced their backing for Sangma on May 17, injecting a new element in the presidential race. Observing that Sangma was by far the “best" Presidential candidate, Patnaik said, “Indeed it is time that a distinguished tribal leader should be the Rashtrapati.” When asked if he had spoken to the BJP on the issue, Patnaik remained evasive, saying the issue is not about politics, but to elect for the first time a tribal leader as the President. “Time will tell, I have spoken, she (Jayalalitha) has spoken, we are regional parties... This is the election of Rashtrapati... This is not political, this is to bring to the seat for the first time a great tribal leader," he said. Sangma thanked both Patnaik and Jayalalitha for backing him for Presidential poll. He also met with CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat at the latter's residence. However, Congress president Sonia Gandhi refused to meet Sangma after the latter had sought an appointment with the former on Tuesday. Apparently, Gandhi has not forgiven Sangma for raising her foreign origin when she was reportedly considering the option of becoming the country's prime minister in 1998 and in 2004. Sangma's NCP has also refused to consider hi candidature on grounds that the party is in a minority as far as presidential voting patterns are concerned, and also the fact that it is a part of the UPA coalition, and would prefer to go by the collective decision of the ruling alliance.

Presidential polls: Sangma appeals to parties to support his tribal platform bid