Good beginning is half done, it is said. In today’s meeting convened by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Constitution Club in New Delhi, a good number of parties and leaders attended the much talked about meeting to discuss the forthcoming Presidential poll and ended with a decision to field a joint candidate.
As expected the name of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar cropped up for the coveted post but he declined again. He had earlier said a big NO to Mamata Banerjee and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. But after thorough deliberations, names of Farooq Abdulla and Gopal Gandhi came up as possible candidates,
Barring the two prominent parties, the Akali Dal and Biju Patnaik’s party were absent from the meeting.Others prominently who responded include Congress, NCP, Samajwadi Party, PDP, Shiv Sena , NC, RJD, Deve Gowda led JDU and DMK..Though having great ideological differences, the left parties, CPI, CPM, CPML and RSP kept aside their differences and were too part of the today’s meeting, TMC being the hosts.
Coming together on a common platform to fight the Presidential election is not only the agenda, probably but to put up a fight against the ruling NDA. The meeting resolved to field a joint candidate who can be a true custodian of Constitution.
The message from Opposition is loud and clear that there wil be a joint candidate from it and thus a straight fight for the July 18 poll. Nothing could be heard today from the ruling NDA. Though Defence Minister Raj Nath Singh who along with BJP working president J P Nadda, has been nominated by the BJP to initiate talks with their own constituent parties and also with Opposition leaders over consensus candidate.
They must have been waiting for the outcome of today’s meeting convened by Mamata Banerjee.She wants to settle the score with BJP as she was intimidated and humiliated by BJP during Assembly election where she emerged victorious.
Now the second round of meeting is expected soon and by the time a likely clear picture could emerge.
… Joseph Rao – Senior Journalist
