The United Progressive Alliance and its supporting parties on Tuesday strongly condemned the attack on their candidate in the Presidential elections Pratibha Patil, saying the very sanctity of the Constitutional process was being destroyed through the 'smear campaign' against her.

As the UPA leaders made an appeal to the electorate of the 13th Presidential elections to vote for Patil, they criticised the nature and tenor of the current campaign in the elections, saying it 'cannot but dilute the norms that must form part of our political process, being a mature democracy'.

The UPA leaders said, "Unfortunately, the very sanctity of the Constitutional process is being destroyed by interested parties through resort to a smear campaign based on frivolous and unfounded allegations against the candidate of the UPA supported by the Left, BSP and other parties."

Addressing a joint press conference, Pranab Mukherjee appealed to the entire electoral college to rise above narrow considerations and uphold the dignity of the electoral process.

Also present at the press conference were Congress leaders Arjun Singh and Prithviraj Chavan, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar [Images], RJD chief Lalu Prasad, LJP leader Ramchandra Paswan and IUML leader E Ahamed.

The press conference is being seen as an effort to display unity among the UPA leaders over Patil.

Patil, who is locked in a straight fight against the NDA-backed independent candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the Presidential elections, has been the target of a series of allegations, including bank fraud and shielding a relative in a murder case.