New Delhi: Former West Bengal governor and diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi has turned down Opposition partie’s proposal to become joint candidate for the upcoming presidential election, reported news agency PTI. In a statement issued by the former diplomat and Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, Gandhi said that he was grateful for being considered for the highest office but felt that the Opposition's candidate should be someone who will generate a national consensus and that he felt there were others who could do this better than him.
“Several esteemed leaders of the Opposition have done me the honour of thinking of me for the Opposition's candidature in the upcoming elections for the highest office of Rashtrapati. I am most grateful to them,” he said.
“But having considered the matter deeply I see that the Opposition's candidate should be one who will generate a national consensus and a national atmosphere beside Opposition unity. I feel there will be others who will do this far better than I. And so I have requested the leaders to give the opportunity to such a person,” Gandhi stated.
Gandhi's statement came amid reports that he was the frontrunner as the joint candidate of the Opposition after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah.
The NC chief had however also turned down the proposal to be the joint candidate. The reason cited by Abdullah behind withdrawing his name was that Jammu and Kashmir is “passing through a critical juncture” adding that his “efforts are required to help navigate these uncertain times”.
“I withdraw my name from consideration as a possible joint opposition candidate for the President of India. I believe that Jammu & Kashmir is passing through a critical juncture and my efforts are required to help navigate these uncertain times,” the National Conference president said, quoted by the news agency.