Govt didn’t propose any name, Azad says after Rajnath, Naidu meet Sonia
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 16
The first meeting between the government and principal opposition Congress on the upcoming Presidential poll ended inconclusively on Friday with no names proposed for discussions.
The meeting between union ministers Rajnath Singh, M Venkaiah Naidu and Congress President Sonia Gandhi lasted half an hour at the latter’s residence.
Also present at the meeting were senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge.
After the meeting, Azad said the government did not propose any names and therefore nothing concrete could be discussed.
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The official panel of the BJP, comprising Singh and Naidu, is learnt to have asked the opposition leaders to put forth their views on the July 17 election.
Both the government and the opposition are keeping their strategies on potential nominees undisclosed for the moment with the back and forth expected to last for at least some time.
The government strategy also appears clear in that it wants the opposition to open the cards first. The opposition conversely wants the same.
During the day, Naidu and Singh will also meet CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, but the opposition feels the government is merely completing a formality and doesn’t want meaningful engagement.
The Congress on Thursday had said that it was for consensus on the Presidential nominee but wasn’t sure of government intentions.
