West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday proposed names of Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Farooq Abdullah for the post of President of India at Opposition meeting.
A crucial meeting of opposition parties convened by Mamata Banerjee to build consensus on fielding a joint candidate against the NDA in the presidential election began here on Wednesday with leaders of at least 17 parties in attendance.
Leaders of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, NCP, DMK, RJD and the Left parties attended the meeting called by the Trinamool Congress supremo, while the AAP, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Odisha’s ruling BJD skipped it.
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Leaders of Shiv Sena, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), National Conference, PDP, JD(S), RSP, IUML, RLD and the JMM attended the meeting, which took place on a day the nomination for the presidential election began.
Maharashtra leader Sharad Pawar declined Mamata Banerjee’s offer to be the opposition’s Presidential candidate, saying he “still has an active political innings to play”.
Sharad Pawar, 81, had earlier shut down speculation on the top post at a meeting with his party leaders, who revealed that the former Union Minister was reluctant to fight “a losing battle”.
At a meeting of opposition parties called by Mamata Banerjee, he made it official.
Mamata Banerjee, who had met Sharad Pawar last evening, proposed his name as soon as the meeting started, reported news agency NDTV. When he refused, she suggested two options – former Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.
The presidential elections will take place on July 18 and the results will be declared on July 21. June 29 is the last date for nominations.