Opposition parties play game of chairs, fail to reach consensus on presidential candidate
ThePrint's Praveen Jain brings moments from an opposition meeting at Delhi's Constitution Club Wednesday, to decide on a candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
NCP Leader Sharad Pawar at a press conference following an opposition meeting at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, Wednesday | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
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New Delhi: Many heads deliberated over the future of one chair — that of the President of India — at the opposition meeting called by West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, at Delhi’s Constitution Club Wednesday.
The presidential election is scheduled to be held next month.
The offer to take on the chair was first made to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stalwart Sharad Pawar, but he refused. Thereafter, Banerjee suggested the name of former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, but an objection was raised by his son Omar Abdullah, who was also present at the meeting.
Banerjee also suggested the name of former Bengal governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, at which point other parties said that names should not be discussed now, but later when there’s more clarity. Pawar, Banerjee, and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge have been tasked with talking to opposition leaders and convening another meeting of the opposition within the week.
At a press conference which followed the meeting, the media was witness to a flurry of action on the dais as the number of chairs arranged for the leaders, kept changing. There seemed as much confusion on the subject of how many from the opposition camp will address the press, as there is on who will be the opposition’s presidential candidate.
ThePrint brings moments from the meeting.
Left to Right: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Jammu & Kashmir People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader T.R Balu and NCP president Sharad Pawar, at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi, Wednesday | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintWhile Mamata Banerjee suggested a few names for the opposition’s presidential candidate, including that of Pawar, there was no consensus on any of the names | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Sharad Pawar leaves the press conference after the meeting | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintWith no consensus on the name of the opposition’s presidential candidate, another meeting is set to take place within the week | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintMamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar address the press at Constitution Club Wednesday | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintMehbooba Mufti and Mamata Banerjee in conversation, as Akhilesh Yadav sits by | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintMamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Mehbooba Mufti and Akhilesh Yadav at the press conference following Wednesday’s meeting | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintMamata Banerjee at the Constitution Club, Wednesday | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintMamata Banerjee talks to the media at Delhi’s Constitution Club Wednesday | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint(From Left) Akhilesh Yadav, Mehbooba Mufti, Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Mallikarjun Kharg and T.R. Balu at the Constitution Club Wednesday | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintNCP leader Sharad Pawar leaves after the press conference on Wednesday’s meeting | Praveen Jain | ThePrintThe venue all set for Wednesday’s press conference | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintChairs being arranged for Wednesday’s conference | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrintTill the last minute the number of chairs on the dais kept changing, probably because of a confusion over who all will address the media | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
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