Former Lok Sabha Speaker and presidential candidate of the National Democratic Alliance P A Sangma on Monday failed to meet YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in the Chanchalguda jail in Hyderabad.

The jail authorities denied permission to Sangma at the last minute on the ground that he could not meet the under-trial for political discussions and that Jagan had exhausted his limit to meet the visitors.

Sangma, who has been on a nation-wide tour to meet presidents of various political parties to elicit their support for his candidature in the Presidential elections, said he had written to the jail authorities 10 days ago seeking permission to meet Jagan, but somehow he was denied permission. “I wonder how they could allow MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi to meet Jagan last week, but did not allow me today, though I had held a very high position in the country in the past,” he said.

He later called on Jagan’s mother Vijayamma, who is the honorary president of the YSR Congress, at her residence and sought the support of her party, which has two MPs, including Mr. Jagan, and 17 MLAs, in the Electoral College.