New Delhi: Soon after being elected the President of the country, Pranab Mukherjee called up JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and thanked him for his party's support to him.
Yadav, who is the NDA convener, also congratulated Mukherjee and his family over the victory.
Yadav's party JD(U), a key ally of the NDA, has supported Mukherjee's candidature going against the BJP's decision to back P A Sangma, who was propped up by AIADMK and BJD to contest against Mukherjee.
The JD(U) had made it clear that its support to Mukherjee in the Presidential contest should not be taken as an indication of the party moving closer to Congress as it has always fought the latter's policies.
Even as it backed the UPA candidate in the Presidential race, JD(U) decided to support BJP in the election for the Vice President, in which UPA nominee Hamid Ansari is locked in a direct contest with BJP's Jaswant Singh.
BJP had earlier asked Yadav to contest as the NDA Vice Presidential nominee, which he declined.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 20:51