Setback for opposition; Sharad Pawar not to contest Presidential elections

NEW DELHI: The opposition parties have received a setback with NCP national president Sharad Pawar announcing that he will not contest the Presidential elections. Sharad Pawar informed the Left leaders that he was not in the race to become the President of the country.

Meanwhile, Pawar proposed to field Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad as the Presidential candidate of the opposition. Pawar made the proposal during a meeting with CPM national secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI national secretary D Raja. He said there was he was not ready for a contest as the NDA had not put forward a hint of a consensus Presidential candidate.

Earlier, opposition parties had backed Sharad Pawar for the Presidential post. Following this, Congress and the Left hinted that they would accept if Pawar was named candidate.