Presidential poll: Opposition dials Mahatma's grandson after Pawar says no

Aditi Tandon

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New Delhi, June 14

Ahead of the Wednesday meeting to discuss the presidential nominee, the Opposition today reached out to Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi to consider contesting the July 18 election.

The ambit of discussions was expanded after NCP chief Sharad Pawar, a consensus Opposition candidate for the top post, said no to the proposal, repeating his mind to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, who called on him here today to try and convince him to run.

Top sources told The Tribune that at least three senior Opposition leaders, including Yechury and Raja, called up former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi today, requesting him to run as the common candidate of the non-NDA camp in the presidential election.

When contacted, Gandhi, 77, confirmed having receiving calls from Opposition veterans and said he was thinking about the proposal. “It is too early for me to say anything. Yes, I have received calls. I am thinking about it,” he told The Tribune.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi had emerged a consensus opposition face against NDA’s M Venkaiah Naidu in the 2017 Vice-Presidential election, which Naidu won.

“Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson was the consensus candidate for the 2017 Vice-Presidential election also. Eighteen Opposition parties, including the Congress, the TMC and the Left, had endorsed him. We have requested him today to consider running for the President’s post. NC patron Farooq Abdullah’s name also came up among probable candidates today but we are awaiting Gopalkrishna Gandhi’s response,” a senior Left leader said, ahead of the meeting which Mamata has convened on Wednesday to deliberate on the election.

Meanwhile, the Opposition has agreed to present a united face at the meeting, with the Congress, expected to be represented by Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Surjewala at Mamata’s meet, the CPM by MP Elamaram Kareem and CPI by parliamentary party leader Binoy Viswam. The top Left leadership — CPM general secretary Yechury and CPI general secretary Raja — will, however, skip Mamata’s meeting, with Yechury writing his objection to Mamata today.