Opposition parties meeting to find presidential candidate is in progress; 17 parties participate in meet convened by Mamata Banerjee

NEW DELHI: A meeting of opposition parties convened by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to find a presidential candidate is in progress. Seventeen party leaders, including the leaders of Congress, are attending the meeting. The discussion is being held at the Delhi Constitution Club of India. Mallikarjun Kharge, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jairam Ramesh are the Congress representatives present in the meeting.

The Aam Aadmi Party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Biju Janata Dal and YSR Congress have stayed away from the meeting. Telangana Rashtra Samithi explained that they did not attend the meeting because of the presence of the Congress.

The meeting is being attended by Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPM, CPI, RSP, Shiv Sena, NCP, RJD, SP, National Conference, PDP, JDS, DMK, RLD, Muslim League and JMM.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has nominated Sharad Pawar as presidential candidate, but he has reportedly rejected it. He expressed his desire to stay in active politics and nominated Ghulam Nab Azad as his presidential candidate.