New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) Pranab Mukherjee had resigned as honorary chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute June 20, a week ahead of stepping down as finance minister and filing his nomination for the presidential election, an official said Monday, refuting opposition presidential nominee P.A. Sangma’s allegations that he was not eligible to contest.
“He had resigned on June 20. The confusion has been created because this was not updated on the institute’s website,” a senior official of the Indian Statistical Institute told IANS from Kolkata.
Sangma, who is supported by the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, has sought cancellation of Mukherjee’s nomination for the presidential election alleging that he was holding an office of profit.
The Indian Statistical Institute official, who declined to be named, said Mukherjee’s position was honorary and he had never drawn any remuneration from the institute.
The official said Mukherjee’s name was removed from the institute website Monday after the allegations from the opposition camp.
An official at Mukherjee’s 13 Talkatora Road residence in New Delhi said the allegation was baseless. He also confirmed that Mukherjee had resigned from the Indian Statistical Institute June 20, a week before quitting as union finance minister.
Mukherjee filed his nomination June 28 for the presidential election.
