Sharad Pawar
Sharad Pawar as oppositions' presidential candidate? Speculations in media suggest so
New Delhi/IBNS: Ahead of the presidential polls, a series of meetings among opposition parties suggested speculation that former Union Minister Sharad Pawar could emerge as the opposition's candidate for the election to India's top post in July, media reports said.
The Congress has reportedly conveyed its support to Sharad Pawar as the presidential candidate.
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge met with Sharad Pawar last Thursday in Mumbai, with a message from party chief Sonia Gandhi.
The NCP leader has not responded to that suggestion, NDTV reported quoting sources.
On Sunday, Pawar received a call from Sanjay Singh, a leader of Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Kharge spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Mallikarjun Kharge also spoke on the phone with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has called for an opposition meeting at the Constitution Club in Delhi on Wednesday to discuss a joint strategy for the same.
Pawar, one of India's seniormost politicians, has often been credited as the key player in creating and breaking many alliances and coalition governments.
He crafted Maharashtra's ruling coalition, bringing together ideologically opposed parties Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress to thwart the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Meanwhile, the BJP has authorized its party chief JP Nadda and Union Minister Rajnath Singh to hold discussions with parties across the spectrum and steer them towards a consensus.
Elections will be held on July 18 for the next President of India and counting, if needed, will be held three days later.
President Ram Nath Kovind's term ends on July 24.
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