According to the sources, a group of minimum 9 non-NDA parties will be formed to come up with a consensus candidate for the upcoming President Election in July, 2017. The sub group is likely to meet next week for a meeting.
The group would comprise leaders of prominent parties like Left, TMC, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party besides the JD(U), RJD, NCP and DMK and the main opposition party-the Congress. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad among others are part of the sub-group.
A formal notification will be issued by the Election Commission on June 14 and possible name for the opposition candidate will be disclosed only after June, 15.
Congress High command Sonia Gandhi is playing the major role in uniting and getting all the opposition party together to finalise a common name for the candidate of Presidential polls. She had even organised a social bonding over lunch in the end of May and had invited almost all opposition parties to discuss about the possible names.
As per the tradition, the ruling party takes the initiative to decide the name for the candidate for the Presidential post. But there has not been any move from the NDA government’s side. Responding to this, non-NDA parties have decided to come with a consensus candidate, saying that NDA cannot take the people of India for granted. If they cannot come up with a name, non-NDA parties are capable enough to find the best person, who will be impeccable secular credentials who can discharge the responsibility as a custodian of the Constitution. They also said that they have many deserving candidates and is only waiting for the NDA government to initiate.
The names of former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishan Gandhi and former Speaker Meira Kumar have so far emerged as the Opposition’s choices for the top post.
The presidential election will be held on July 17 and the results will be announced by July 20. The tenure of incumbent President Pranab Mukherjee ends on July 24.