Former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha’s name has been finalised unanimously by 13 opposition parties, including the Congress, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Samajwadi Party, which met in Delhi on Tuesday
Yashwant Sinha has been named as the joint Opposition candidate for the Presidential polls. The name of the former Union minister has been finalised unanimously by at least 13 opposition parties, including the Congress, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Samajwadi Party, which met in Delhi on Tuesday.
Sinha’s name came up after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi opted out of the race.
“We (opposition parties) have unanimously decided that Yashwant Sinha will be the common candidate of the Opposition for the Presidential elections,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh announced today after the meeting.
Reading out joint statement Ramesh said, “We (opposition parties) appeal to BJP, its allies to support Yashwant Sinha as president so we can have a worthy ‘Rashtrapati’ elected unopposed.”
“Unity of opposition parties forged for presidential poll will be further consolidated in months ahead,” the joint statement further read.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sinha “stepped aside” from Mamata Banerjee-led TMC to work for the larger national cause of Opposition unity. The decision gave indications that he will be considered as the Opposition’s joint candidate for the presidential elections.
On Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee proposed Sinha’s name as the joint opposition candidate for the post of president.
“I am grateful to Mamataji for the honour and prestige she bestowed on me in the TMC. Now a time has come when for a larger national cause I must step aside from the party to work for greater opposition unity. I am sure she approves of the step,” Sinha said in a tweet earlier today.
For the unversed, Sinha was a veteran BJP leader who in 2018 snapped ties with the party. During the Prime Ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sinha served as the Union finance minister.
Mamata Banerjee congratulates Sinha on becoming the consensus candidate, supported by all progressive opposition parties, for the upcoming Presidential Election.
“A man of great honour and acumen, who would surely uphold the values that represent our great nation!” she said.
The Opposition has finalised Sinha as its presidential candidate, but the ruling BJP is yet to reveal whether it will name a new candidate or re-nominate incumbent President Ram Nath Kovind for another term.
The filing of nomination for the presidential elections 2022 is underway. The last date to give name to contest the poll is 29 June.
The polling will take place on 18 July and the counting of votes will be done on 21 July.
The term of President Ram Nath Kovind ends on 24 July and the next president should be elected before that day.
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