"We have extended sincere thanks to the BJD president and Chief Minister for backing P A Sangma," NCP legislature party leader Amar Satpathy told reporters. The party's state unit general secretary Prasanna Lenka was also present at the press conference.
The state unit's reaction to Patnaik backing Sangma for the Presidential polls came after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar said he was not aware of any such development.
Asked about Pawar's stand on the issue, Satpathy said "though the party is yet to formally name Sangma as its Presidential candidate, we have been supporting Sangma's candidature".
Meanwhile, BJD vice president and Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadai described Sangma as an intelligent person having a long experience in Parliament.
"He (Sangma) is a respected politician in India. BJD will certainly back a tribal leader of his stature," said Health Minister Prasanna Acharya who is also another vice-president of BJD.
Patnaik had consulted over a dozen of senior BJD leaders before announcing Sangma's name as the party's choice for the Presidential polls, sources said.
