New Delhi, Jun 22 (IANS): Soon after the Bharatiya Janata Party decided to support P.A. Sangma for the presidency, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Thursday described the former Lok Sabha speaker as a candidate of communal forces.

"It is unfortunate that Sangma has become a candidate of the communal forces... the UPA nominee (Pranab Mukherjee) would have a decisive triumph in the presidential poll," NCP general secretary D.P. Tripathi told IANS.

Observing that the BJP backed Sangma "so there is a contest just for the sake of contest", Tripathi said the decision showed the "bankruptcy of the saffron party, which had to import its presidential candidate from the UPA".

The BJP has announced support to Sangma, who already has the backing of AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithha and Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik.

Sangma, who is a founder member of the NCP, resigned from the party Wednesday after failing to elicit support for his candidature.

The NCP parliamentary board met here Thursday evening to discuss the fallout of the political developments and decided to ask all party MPs and MLAs to support the UPA nominee.

"We will ask all our MPs and MLAs to support the UPA nominee...this directive will apply to Agatha Sangma as well," Tripathi told reporters after the meeting.

UPA minister Agatha Sangma is the daughter of P.A. Sangma.

According to the NCP general secretary, Pawar has accepted P.A. Sangma's resignation and has given his responsibilities to party leader Praful Patel, who is minister for heavy industries.

Expressing hope that UPA ally Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee would support Mukherjee, the NCP leader congratulated NDA partners Janata Dal (United) and Shiv Sena for supporting the UPA nominee.

Stating that "ensuring widest possible support for Mukherjee represents the ethos of India," Tripathi said "the Congress-NCP alliance would not only triumph in the July 19 presidential poll but in the 2014 general elections as well."