Presidential poll: I will contest as independent, says Sangma

May 21, 2012

New Delhi, May 21: Ruling out withdrawal from the Presidential fray, NCP leader P A Sangma on Monday said if necessary, he would contest as an independent and "not let down" Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who have backed him.

"There is no going back. I will not let madam Jayalalithaa and Naveen Patnaik down which would mean that if necessary, I would contest as an independent," he told TimesNow.

Sangma, a former Lok Sabha Speaker, said he had sought appointments with political leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to press for a tribal candidate for the post of the President.

"But in the meantime, two powerful chief ministers Jayalalithaa and Naveen Patnaik have publicly announced support for my candidature," the NCP general secretary said.

"Therefore the situation is completely different. Now that these two leaders have openly supported and I have indications from other political parties which will be known in a couple of days. Now that I have decided to contest supported by two very strong regional powers, there is no going back," Sangma said.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Indian Air Force’s Tejas fighter jet crashes during Dubai air show

News Network

November 21,2025

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas fighter jet crashed on Friday, November 21, afternoon during its aerial demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, plunging to the ground at around 2:10 pm local time while performing a manoeuvre before thousands of spectators.

The IAF confirmed the incident, stating that a Tejas aircraft participating in the show had crashed and that further details were being gathered. An Air Force spokesperson said more information would be shared after initial assessments.

The crash sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky near the airport, causing panic among visitors, including families and children who had gathered to watch the display. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the pilot managed to eject before the aircraft went down. Emergency response teams rushed to the scene, and officials have not released information on casualties or damage so far.

The Tejas is a 4.5-generation, multi-role fighter aircraft developed indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Designed for versatility, it is capable of offensive air support, close combat, ground attack missions and maritime operations. The aircraft family includes single-seat fighters and twin-seat trainers for both the Air Force and Navy.

HAL describes the latest version, the LCA Mk1A, as the most advanced in the series, featuring an AESA radar, an upgraded electronic warfare suite with radar-warning and self-protection jamming, smart multifunction displays, a digital map generator, a combined interrogator–transponder system and a modern radio altimeter. These enhancements significantly improve the aircraft’s combat capability and survivability.

Further updates from IAF and UAE authorities are awaited.

Comments