Hours after leaders from opposition parties met on Wednesday, 15 June, at a meeting called by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar informed that he has declined the proposal of his candidature for the post of the President.
He said in a tweet, "I sincerely appreciate the leaders of opposition parties for suggesting my name as a candidate for the election of the President of India at the meeting held in Delhi. However, I would like to state that I have humbly declined the proposal of my candidature."
He added, "I am happy to continue my service for the well-being of the common man."
17 Parties Attend Joint Oppn Meeting
Leaders from at least 17 parties arrived at the Constitution Club in Delhi to attend the meeting called by Banerjee on Wednesday.
The parties that sent their representatives for the meeting called by TMC supremo Banerjee include the Congress, the Communist Party of India, the CPI (Marxist), Shiv Sena, Rashtriya Janata Dal, National Conference, People's Democratic Party, Samajwadi Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Indian Union Muslim League, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and Revolutionary Socialist Party.
After Pawar's refusal, names of National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and former WB Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi had also cropped up as likely nominations for the president's post.
A day before the meeting, CM Banerjee on Tuesday met NCP chief Pawar at his Delhi residence to discuss the presidential polls.
"We had a detailed discussion on various issues related to our country," Pawar wrote in a tweet. The NCP chief turned down Banerjee's proposal for his candidature for president, reports said.
On Monday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also stated that he did not wish to contest the upcoming presidential poll.
President Ram Nath Kovind's five-year term is coming to an end on 24 July. Voting for the next president will be held on 18 July, while the counting of votes will be held on 21 July, the Election Commission announced.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)