Bhubaneshwar, July 2 (IBNS): Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik slammed United Progressive Alliance (UPA)'s Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee and said the former Union Finance Minister 'doled out' large sums of money to certain Indian states during his tenure to buy support of parties for the upcoming election.

"Pranab Mukherjee as Finance Minister of India had doled out huge sum of money to certain states like Bihar, Bengal and UP (Uttar Pradesh). Could it be that this money is going because he wants certain parties to support his candidature as Rashtrapati (President) of India?" Patnaik told reporters on Sunday.

Pertinently, Patnaik and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa were the first to announce the name of Presidential candidate PA Sangma for the titular post.

Patnaik, Punjab Chief Minister and Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal, senior BJP leaders like LK Advani, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, party president Nitisn Gadkari accompanied the former Lok Sabha Speaker as he filed his nomination for the election to the titular post on June 28.

"I am grateful to Naveen Patnaikji who not only proposed my name but was also present today. I am grateful to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa," Sangma said after filing the nomination.

The Presidential election is scheduled for July 19.