New Delhi: Set to enter the Rashtrapati Bhawan as President after a bitter election, Pranab Mukherjee carries no ill feelings against the rival camp which levelled various charges against him during the poll campaign.
Mukherjee today said the unsubstantiated allegations should have been avoided but he does not have any "hurt feelings" towards anybody as he believes in the "forgive and forget" policy.
Talking to TV channels, he said that in the political system, polarisation takes place sometimes but it should not lead to hatred.
"I feel it should have been avoided because none of these are substantially correct but I would not like to enter any controversy at this stage. I have kept them behind. I have no hard feeling for anybody," said the 76-year-old veteran Congress leader.
"I would take this opportunity to convey and make it quite clear that I don't have any hurt feelings towards anybody," Mukherjee said, adding "I am going to be everybody's President."
During the campaign for the July 19 poll, the camp of rival candidate PA Sangma, who was supported by BJP and some other Opposition parties, leveled allegations of forgery of signatures and violation of the Office of Profit rules.
The Election Commission rejected these objections. Asked whether he thought the campaign had ended on a bitter note, Mukherjee disagreed. "I would not like to make any comment on what a contesting candidate said. After all, it is an address for the electorate and the electorate have responded. What is the need for me commenting?"
PTI
First Published: Monday, July 23, 2012, 21:47