Kharge, D Raja, Yechury meet Pawar for preliminary discussion on presidential candidate

Ahead of the larger meeting of all opposition parties in connection with deciding a consensus candidate for the post of President, a preliminary meeting was held at NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar's residence in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Congress' Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Left leaders D. Raja and Sitaram Yechury attended the meeting.

Pawar is hosting a meeting of all opposition parties later in the day at Parliament Annexe to zero in on a consensus candidate for the post of President, polling for which is due on July 18.

"The meeting was held to carry out preliminary discussions. A blueprint has been prepared that will be shared with other leaders at the meeting of all Opposition parties later today," sources said.

The meeting is likely to announce a candidate for the post of President after consensus.

Earlier last week, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee had hosted a meeting in Delhi where leaders from all major opposition parties participated and decided that they would put up a single, consensus candidate.

Meanwhile, veteran leader and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha has announced his resignation from Trinamool, immediately giving a field day for speculations that he is the likely candidate to be declared by opposition.

Incidentally, the BJP too is likely to announce its Presidential candidate later in the day.