While the opposition is trying to organize a united fight against the BJP in a presidential poll, some leaders would reach a possible option to former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi. In the 2017 elections, Gandhi was elected as a joint opposition candidate for the position of Vice President of India, but was defeated by incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu.
According to the PTI, some opposition leaders spoke to Gopalkrishna Gandhi and urged him to consider their request to be a joint presidential candidate.
The 77-year-old former bureaucrat served as India's High Commissioner for South Africa and Sri Lanka. He was the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and C Rajagopalachari. Gandhi served as governor of West Bengal from 2004 to 2009.
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The leaders who spoke to him said that his first response to her request was "positive". If he accepted the request, he could come out as a possible opposition candidate, because there was a consensus on his name during the last election to the vice-president.
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Gandhi has asked these leaders for time and will return to them on Wednesday, the PTI said.
In addition to Gandhi's opposition, she considered other names and contacted them for permission. Oppn leaders are trying to come up with a strategy for the presidential election
Meanwhile, West Bengal Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee has convened a meeting of various opposition parties to examine the opposition's choice of presidential candidate. The meeting will take place today (June 15) in New Delhi and will be attended by senior representatives of Congress and the Left Party.
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Some leaders have suggested the name of NCP patron Sharad Pawar as an opposition candidate, but the experienced leader refused to oppose.
The vote on the choice of incumbent Ram Nath Kovind will take place on 18 July. Kovind defeated opposition candidate Meira Kumar in the last presidential election.
