BBC.co.uk
IBN7 News:
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today hosted lunch for all MPs belonging to the ruling coalition and supporting parties, a day before they vote for India's next President.
Even the Trinamool Congress was there, though not party chief Mamata Banerjee who was personally invited by Mrs Gandhi last evening. In fact, no Trinamool MP from Kolkata will attend the lunch; they were represented by two Rajya Sabha MPs - KD Singh and Sukhendu Shekhar Roy. Ms Banerjee held out for days before confirming yesterday, in a surprise announcement, that her party's 50,000 votes in the electoral college would be cast in UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee's favour. She said she was pledging her support with reluctance and that it hurt her to do so.
