New Delhi, July 2 (ANI): Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Monday rubbished former Lok Sabha speaker and BJP-backed presidential contestant P. A. Sangma’s claims that UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee is still the chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).
\n “Pranab Mukherjee resigned from the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) on June 20,” said Bansal.
\nSangma earlier today sought cancellation of Mukherjee’s nomination under the Office of Profit rules on the ground that he is still chairman of the ISI.
\nIn a complaint to the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha, V.K Agnihotri, who is the returning officer for the presidential election, Sangma’s lawyer, Satpal Jain, demanded that Mukherjee’s papers be cancelled at the scrutiny stage as he holds an office of profit.
\n Jain said that Mukherjee is chairperson of ISI and, hence, cannot contest the presidential poll under the Office of Profit rules.
\n Sangma, who filed his nomination papers for the presidential election had quit the NCP earlier on grounds that his self-respect was being compromised.
\nSangma, who is the BJP backed contestant, was first picked as a contender for president by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.<\/p>\n\n