Sangma out, Pranab to be India's 13th President

Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday was elected as the 13th president of India beating former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma with huge margin.

Mukherjee, a senior Congress politician, defeated Sangma by 3,97,776 value votes. He will be sworn in by Chief Justice of India SH Kapadia on July 25.

Addressing media persons, the 76-year-old Congress leader thanked all parties that supported him and said he would justify the trust of people. "I have received much more from the people of this great country," he said.

The president is elected by an electoral college of MPs and members of state assemblies. Voting for the Presidential election took place on July 19.

Mukherjee, who will replace Pratibha Patil, India's first woman president, reportedly secured 68.12 per cent of the total 10,47,971 value votes cast by 4,659 members of the State/Territorial Assemblies and Parliament.

Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal-Secular, Communist Party of India-Marxist, YSR Congress and Forward Bloc supported Mukherjee along with NDA partners Janata Dal-United and Shiv Sena.

The UPA candidate's rival PA Sangma managed only 2,57,466 vote value, according to Rajya Sabha Secretary General V K Agnihotri, who is the Returning Officer for the poll.

Sangma, who projected himself as a tribal and Christian candidate, was backed by Bharatiya Janata Party and few other opposition parties such as All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Biju Janata Dal.

While Sangma congratulated Mukherjee for winning the presidential poll, he also hit out at his opponents and accused them of bias.

"The election process was exceptionally partisan and political through economic and other packages, inducements and threats," PTI quoted him saying.

"I may have lost the election but the nation has also lost a golden opportunity to show solidarity with tribals," he said.

Sangma is now contemplating to move the court over the election.

Meanwhile, Mukherjee's victory has set off celebrations across the country, starting from the former finance minister's native village Mirati in Birbhum district, West Bengal.

Media reported that festive atmosphere prevailed outside the residence of Mukherjee with distribution of sweets and bursting of crackers.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, several senior Cabinet Ministers, BJP president Nitin Gadkari, chief ministers and Governors of various states congratulated Mukherjee on his victory.

Mukherjee, who will be the first leader from West Bengal to occupy the top Constitutional post, has held key positions in the party and government.