Sonia meets Congress MPs ahead of Prez poll

New Delhi - With just two days left for the presidential election, Congress President Sonia Gandhi held parleys with party MPs from all states here on Tuesday.

"We have the presidential election and then the vice presidential election. Discussions took place about the process and procedure of voting. It is a normal meeting, and meetings like these, have also been held before big elections," Congress leader Harish Rawat told mediapersons after the meeting.

"The process will continue tomorrow as well. And, after lunch tomorrow, the Members of Parliament from some states would be meeting the Congress President," he added.

Rawat further said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is intact as far as the presidential election is concerned, and added that there is no question of cross voting.

"There is no possibility of any cross voting in the UPA. If there is a risk of cross voting, then it is in the NDA and the BJP camp, where a few lawmakers have given their opinion very clearly on Pranab Mukherjee. We are not worried," said Rawat.

"We are fully assured and we have been receiving all support from our supporting parties. Even a few NDA allies, such as the Shiv Sena and the JD-U, are also supporting us," he added.

According to the reports, Gandhi, who met the Congress MPs from different states in separate batches, is learnt to have told them to maintain caution during the voting process to ensure that nothing goes wrong and all formalities are completed.

When asked to comment on Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee still not coming forward with her presidential candidate, Rawat said the West Bengal Chief Minister has already made her stand very clear, and added that she has full right to take her own decision.

"Mamataji has already made it clear that she will take her decision a day or two before the polls. She has full right to take her decisions," he said.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress Parliamentary party is meeting in Kolkata today to take a decision on the presidential and vice presidential election.

TMC has so far maintained silence on whether it would support UPA presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee.