New Delhi: A crucial meeting of opposition parties convened by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to build consensus on fielding a joint candidate against the NDA in the presidential election had 17 parties in attendance including the Congress here Wednesay. During the meeting, NCP chief Sharad Pawar once more declined the request to be the opposition candidate. After his refusal, Mamata Banerjee proposed the names of Farooq Abdullah and Gopalkrishna Gandhi as opposition candidates for the presidential poll.
Leaders of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, NCP, DMK, RJD and the Left parties attended the meeting called by the Trinamool Congress supremo. However, the AAP, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Odisha’s ruling BJD skipped it.
Leaders of Shiv Sena, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), National Conference, PDP, JD(S), RSP, IUML, RLD and the JMM attended the meeting.
Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel of the NCP, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Surjewala of the Congress, HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S), Akhilesh Yadav of the SP, Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP, Omar Abdullah of the National Conference were among the prominent leaders in the meeting.
Bannerjee had last week invited leaders of 22 political parties, including seven chief ministers for the meeting. Her idea is to produce a ‘confluence of opposition voices’ for the presidential election July 18.
With numbers on its side – the ruling NDA has about half the votes of the Electoral College. With the possible support of fence-sitters like the BJD, AIADMK and YSRCP, the NDA candidate will likely sail through the contest.
After the meeting Kharge said that the Congress will also work towards building an understanding among all opposition parties.
Sources said that Banerjee presented a draft resolution taking on the BJP-led government at the Centre. However, the other parties were upset that it was not circulated earlier for consultation. Many said the meeting had been called for the presidential election, no other subject.
Some 16 parties discussed a June 21 deadline for naming a presidential candidate versus the candidate of the BJP and its allies. Banerjee, Sharad Pawar and Kharge will consult with various parties to build consensus on a name.