Opposition meet to pick Presidential candidate

New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) The opposition parties will meet on June 21 to discuss the candidate for the Presidential election. The meeting will be chaired by NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

Sources say that 17 parties will attend the meeting. The parties have to arrive at a consensus on the candidate's name after Sharad Pawar declined to contest.

The opposition parties had on Wednesday decided to field a joint candidate in the Presidential polls next month.

The meeting of opposition leaders, called by Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was held here for building a consensus on a joint opposition candidate.

In the meeting, a resolution was passed to field a common candidate.

"In the forthcoming Presidential election which is being held on the 75th anniversary of India's Independence, we have decided to field a common candidate who can truly serve as custodian of the Constitution and stop the Modi government from doing further damage to Indian democracy and India's social fabric," it said.

Banerjee said all important political parties sent their representatives and several senior leaders attended the meeting.