Presidential Polls: Mamata Proposes Names Of Farooq Abdullah, Gopalkrishna Gandhi As Oppn Candidate

17 opposition parties attended the crucial meeting of opposition parties to build consensus on fielding a joint candidate against the BJP-led NDA in the presidential election.

Several opposition parties on Tuesday attended a meeting chaired by Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to deliberate on a common candidate for the forthcoming Presidential elections. The meeting was held at the Constitution Club of India in the national capital. Opposition parties once again proposed NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's name for the Presidential poll, but the veteran leader reportedly declined the offer. 

"In today's Opposition meeting, all parties proposed the name of Sharad Pawar for the Presidential poll, but he said he cannot take this up now due to his health. All parties requested him to reconsider his decision," CPI leader Binoy Viswam told reporters after the meeting. 

After the meeting, Pawar took to Twitter and appreciated the leaders of opposition parties for suggesting his name as Opposition's Presidential candidate. "I sincerely appreciate the leaders of opposition parties for suggesting my name as a candidate for the election of the President of India, at the meeting held in Delhi. However I like to state that I have humbly declined the proposal of my candidature," Pawar tweeted.

Meanwhile, Opposition leaders adopted a resolution to field a common candidate in Presidential elections. "A candidate who can truly serve as custodian of the Constitution & stop Modi govt from doing further damage to Indian democracy and India's social fabric," CPI(M) leader Sudheendra Kulkarni said. 

The election would be held on July 18.

"Several parties were here today. We have decided we will choose only one consensus candidate. Everybody will give this candidate our support. We will consult with others. This is a good beginning. We sat together after several months, and we will do it again," Mamata Banerjee told reporters.

Banerjee also suggested the names of Farooq Abdullah and Gopalkrishna Gandhi as opposition candidates for presidential poll. 

As many as 17 opposition parties attended the crucial meeting of opposition parties to build consensus on fielding a joint candidate against the BJP-led NDA in the presidential election.

According to reports, parties including Congress, Samajwadi Party, NCP, DMK, RJD and the Left parties attended the over two-hour-long meeting. However, AAP, SAD, AIMIM, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Odisha's ruling BJD skipped the meeting. 

Leaders of Shiv Sena, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), National Conference, PDP, JD(S), RSP, IUML, RLD and the JMM were among those who attended the meeting. 

Some leaders have requested that Mallikarjun Kharge, Pawar and Banerjee negotiate and discuss the issue of a consensus opposition candidate for the presidential election with all non-BJP parties.

The leaders who attended the meeting included Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel of the NCP, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Surjewala of the Congress, H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S), Akhilesh Yadav of the SP, Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP and Omar Abdullah of the National Conference.

Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh spoke to opposition leaders Mamata Banerjee, Mallikarjun Kharge and Akhilesh Yadav to know their views on candidates for Presidential poll before the Opposition leaders' meeting today, news agency ANI reported.