Trinamool Takes 'Painful' Decision to Back Pranab

Banerjee rubbished allegations that the decision was driven by covert dealings with the Congress. "We don't believe in political dealings."

She announced that three legislators of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) will also support Mukherjee.

Turning a bit emotional, Banerjee said she didn't have any conversation with Mukherjee for the last eight months.

"I don't know what happened but we have not spoken to each other for the last eight months. The prime minister calls me up frequently. We do have conversations. I do have contacts with Sonia Gandhi. But I didn't have any conversations with Pranabda. I don't know why," she said.

Banerjee recalled how she had helped Mukherjee return to the Congress after he fell out with late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi after the death of Indira Gandhi.

"When he left Congress and formed a different party, I had arranged his meeting with Rajivji when he had visited Kolkata. Again I had arranged a meeting between the two in Tripura. We were very happy after he became the finance minister in 2009."

Banerjee hoped that after getting elected as president, Mukherjee would come to Writers' Building to have a cup of tea with her.

"I had earlier invited him... But maybe he was busy."

Banerjee indicated her desire to treat the issue as a closed chapter.

"I don't want to drag the matter. We all know what happened. I've never attacked anybody personally."

Mukherjee is pitted against Sangma, who has the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party and some National Democratic Alliance constituents besides the AIADMK and Biju Janata Dal.

The electoral arithmetic is now overwhelmingly in favour of Mukherjee. The Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Forward Bloc, Janata Dal-United and Shiv Sena are also voting for him.

Banerjee, however, did not spare the Congress.

"It (state Congress) is basically a non-entity in the state. They have always been hand in gloves with CPI-M. That is why Trinamool was formed. We know their true colours," she said.