Pranab Mukherjee

New Delhi, Jun 21 - The road to Raisina Hills appears smooth for UPA Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee with the veteran Congress leader assured of support from parties which have a vote value of at least 5.88 lakh, much above the requisite figure. With NDA allies JD(U) and Shiv Sena breaking ranks with BJP to support Mukherjee, the number on his rival P A Sangma's side has dwindled to 3.10 lakh and he only has Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress left to increase his vote share.

New Delhi, Jun 21 - NDA today got another jolt in the Presidential race with JD(U) becoming the second NDA ally after Shiv Sena to break ranks with BJP to support UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee. The announcement was made by party president Sharad Yadav close on the heels of BJP declaring support to P A Sangma who had resigned from membership of UPA ally NCP yesterday.

Ranchi, June 21 - UPA Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee has sought support from Jharkhand Deputy Chief Minister and AJSU party president Sudesh Mahto for his candidature, a senior party leader said today. "Pranab Mukherjee yesterday called our president Sudesh Mahto over phone and sought support from the Ajsu party," party's vice president Praveen Prabhakar said.

Member of the Anna Hazare's core team Arvind Kejriwal has demanded an independent probe into the corruption allegations against Union finance minister and UPA's presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee before the presidential election. In a list of allegations against prime minister Manmohan Singh and 14 ministers of his Cabinet, including Union finance minister Mukherjee,  Anna Hazare had last month sent a set of documents to the prime minister demanding independent inquiry.

Mumbai, Jun 16 - A day after being declared UPA's Presidential nominee, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today indicated he was not averse to seeking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's support in his bid for the top Constitutional post. "Yesterday I gave my reaction that I will seek support of all concerned", Mukherjee told reporters on the sidelines of an Assocham event when asked if he will try to enlist support of Mamata Banerjee.

Hyderabad, Jun 16 - Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today congratulated Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on being nominated as the Presidential candidate by the ruling UPA. "Pranabji is the senior-most and respected leader of the party, a man of unparalleled experience with a rare distinction of handling all the top portfolios in the Union Cabinet. Pranabji is the most suitable choice for the nation's highest post," Reddy said in a statement here this afternoon.

Lucknow, Jun 15 - Supporting Pranab Mukherjees's candidature for the post of President, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today described him as an experienced, honest, intelligent and a capable person".

Lucknow, Jun 15 - BSP supremo Mayawati today announced her party's support to Pranab Mukherjee for the post of President, describing the Finance Minister as a serious and deserving candidate for the top job. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had called me soon after making the announcement asking for my party's support to Mukherjee. On my party's behalf, I have given my full support to him," she told reporters.

New Delhi, Jun 15 - With UPA nominating Pranab Mukherjee as its Presidential candidate, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today reached out to various political parties including the main opposition BJP to seek support. Soon after his name was announced by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Singh called Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley respectively, sources said.