Sonia Gandhi doesn’t name any Prez candidate in meet with Mamata

Even as the Congress on Tuesday indicated that it will support a second term for President Pranab Mukherjee if he agrees to it, party president Sonia Gandhi didn’t push for any names at a meeting with Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banjerjee. The meeting had been called to discuss the possibility of fielding a consensus candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections in July.

Mamata, who visited 10 Janpath, Sonia’s residence, at the latter’s invitation, told reporters that there was no discussion on names. But she added that they agreed that the Opposition should unite to field a consensus candidate.

Sonia had earlier held meetings with JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and Left leaders Sitaram Yechuri and D Raja. Sources in the Congress said that Sonia wants to use the Presidential elections as a test case to unite Opposition parties for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to prevent another term for Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister.

Mamata was also meeting JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, and said she plans to be in Delhi again early next week to rope in Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to join …read more