An Opposition candidate for President sees Sonia Gandhi back in charge

Mangalore Today News Network

Patna, Apr 21, 2017 : After Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Left’s Sitaram Yechury has met Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss jointly fielding an opposition candidate against the nominee of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the election for President in July. Lalu Yadav of the RJD has said he too will meet Sonia Gandhi.

 

"We are right now meeting all the opposition secular forces to find a common candidate," said Mr Yechury, who confirmed that Nitish Kumar has met him too. The Left has also been in touch with other leaders like Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party and Lalu Yadav.  

The heightened activity in the opposition ranks comes as the BJP continues a winning run in assembly elections, including a massive victory last month in crucial Uttar Pradesh, and there is talk of a collective effort to take the ruling party on in the national election of 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek a second term. The Presidential election could test the feasibility of such an alliance.

Lalu Yadav talked about a "mahagathbandan" or Grand Alliance today saying, "We have always wanted the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Mamtaji to unite to fight against communal forces. They should come onto one platform." The Bihar politician pointed out that, "we win when we’re together, lose when not."

He speaks from the experience of Bihar, where Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav buried fundamental political differences and joined hands along with the Congress in what they called the Grand Alliance to trounce the BJP.  Mr Kumar, who heads the Janata Dal united or JDU, is now said to be scouting for allies for such an alliance at the national level to defeat his former ally.  

"Instead of reacting to Narendra Modi, we should be setting our own agenda," Nitish Kumar was quoted as telling Mrs Gandhi when he met her on Thursday at her 10 Janpath home in Delhi. His Janata Dal United said the meeting was a "good step, secular front should unite."

Nitish Kumar had prescribed a grand alliance for Uttar Pradesh too, but in the end only the Samajwadi Party and the Congress partnered for the assembly elections and were handed a humiliating defeat by the BJP.

There has been talk that the opposition could opt to jointly field President Pranab Mukherjee for a second term. That, a Left leader told news agency Press Trust of India was possible if all parties agreed, but said it would depend on whether President Mukherjee, AGE, wants another term.

President Mukherjee’s tenure ends on July 24.He had taken over the post in July 2012, defeating PA Sangma, the NDA’s candidate.

 

Courtesy:NDTV