PRESIDENTIAL POLLS: JP NADDA, RAJNATH SINGH TO HOLD TALKS WITH OTHER PARTIES ON BJP’s BEHALF

(The Quiver): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold consultations on the presidential polls with different political parties, including opposition parties, seen to be an attempt to reach a political consensus on a candidate. The BJP on Sunday said that party chief JP Nadda and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have been tasked with making the outreach to both NDA allies and Opposition parties.

In a statement, the BJP said, “In view of the upcoming presidential polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party has authorised party president Jagat Prakash Nadda and Hon’able Rajnath Singh to hold consultations.”

They will hold consultations with NDA allies, parties affiliated with the UPA, other political parties and Independent politicians, it said. Nadda and Singh will begin the process soon, it added.

Opposition parties had accused the BJP during the last presidential polls in 2017 of reaching out to them at the last moment after it had already finalised the choice of Ram Nath Kovind, who went on the become the president. The opposition had forced a contest by backing Meira Kumar, who lost to Kovind.

Leaders from opposition parties are set to take part in a meeting next week in Delhi, which has been called by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

Among those who have been invited are chief ministers of eight non-BJP ruled states and senior opposition leaders such as Sonia Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Pawar, HD Gowda, Farooq Abdullah and Sukhbir Singh Badal.

The Congress on Saturday said that parties should rise above their differences and elect a President who can protect the Constitution, institutions and the citizenry from the “ongoing onslaught” by the ruling BJP.