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PM thanks Pranab Mukherjee on behalf of UPA | The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Tuesday expressed his government's
gratitude to Pranab Mukherjee for his invaluable contribution to its work over
the last eight years, and expressed hope to see him as India 's next President.
"Our government owes a deep debt of gratitude to you for your invaluable contribution
to its work over the last eight years. It is a testimony to your extraordinary
abilities and your stature in public life that you have carried on onerous range
of responsibilities with ease and accomplishment. Our colleagues in the Cabinet
and I have benefitted from your wise counsel on innumerable occasions and we will
all deeply miss your presence amidst us," said Dr. Singh in his letter to Mukherjee
in response to his resignation tendered today. "We hope to see you occupy the
exalted position of President next month and are confident that our country and
people will continue to benefit from your wisdom, knowledge and decades of experience
in public life. I wish you success in the election to the highest office in the
country. I also wish you sustained good health and happiness in the years to come,"
he added. Dr. Singh in his letter said that he has received Pranab Mukherjee's
resignation from the Union Cabinet. "I have received your letter of June 26, 2012
resigning from the Union Cabinet. I have forwarded your resignation to Rashtrapatiji
with the recommendation that it be accepted with immediate effect," he said. Mukherjee
resigned as the Finance Minister earlier this evening to contest the presidential
election. Mukherjee, who met the Prime Minister at his official 7, Race Course
Road residence here turned emotional earlier today, saying he stands ready to
embark on a new journey. "Today, I stand ready to embark on a new journey. I feel
honoured and humbled on my nomination as a candidate to contest the presidential
election by UPA-II, supported by the Samajwadi Party, BSP, JD (U), Shiv Sena,
CPI (M), Forward Bloc and some other parties for which election is scheduled to
be held on 19th of July. Yet standing on the brink of such an honour, I also feel
a tinch of sentiment at the thought of leaving behind my life as a political activist
spanning over four decades," Mukherjee told the media outside the North Block
here. "I will miss my colleagues in the Ministry of Finance and I will also miss
not being stopped by all of you, who are assemble here while getting into my car
or coming out of my car in front of my office in North Block. Friends I have covered
a distance in my life, but I always remind myself that I was born in a remote
village in Bengal . I saw the lives of poor farmers and simple folks in rural
India ," he added. Mukherjee further said every decision taken by him might not
have been right, but it was taken in the best public interest. "I know that not
every decision, which I have taken might have been right. But I have taken those
decisions keeping in view the interest of the people, whose faces appear before
me more than often. Members of the media, friends like you, have always reminded
me my responsibility," said Mukherjee. "Most of the times through your criticism,
sometimes through your appreciation, what I should do as a representative of the
people, for the people. I hope this duty you will continue so long I am in public
life. Thank you for the opportunity that you have given to me to interact with
you," he added. The resignation of Mukherjee, who is all set to emerge victorious
in the race to Raisina Hill, brought an end to his distinguished 43-year-long
political career. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) bid its farewell to Mukherjee
earlier on Monday. He will file his nomination papers for the presidentship on
Thursday. Mukherjee became a member of the CWC in 1978. The presidential elections
will be held on July 19. The vote count will take place on July 22. Pratibha Devisingh
Patil's term as President ends on July 24.
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