NEW DELHI, July 18 (IANS): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed presidential candidate P.A. Sangma Wednesday said he holds no grudge against Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee for supporting Pranab Mukherjee in the race to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"In politics everyone has their right to decide who they will back... I don't have any grudge," Sangma told a news channel.
"She (Mamata Banerjee) has every right to decide for her party, I have nothing to say on it. I tried to reach out to her, I met her and requested her... that was my duty. She had given me a personal hearing, which gave me some hope," he said, adding that everyone had their own compulsions and made their own calculations so he held no grudges.
Every vote is important, he said, accepting that Banerjee's endorsement of UPA's Mukherjee was a "setback".
"Naturally every vote is important, it is a setback".
"Let's wait till July 22," he added.
The West Bengal chief minister had Tuesday said her party would vote for Mukherjee in Thursday's presidential poll. She called the decision "painful" and said she had been left with no other option.
The result will be announced July 22.
