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Updated June 21st, 2022 at 11:58 IST

Presidential Polls: Yashwant Sinha exits TMC amid united Oppn's pitch for his candidacy

Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha hinted he has considered the proposal made by a section of Opposition leaders to make him their presidential candidate

Reported by: Vidyashree S
Yashwant Sinha
Image: PTI | Image:self
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Former Union Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Yashwant Sinha on Tuesday shared a tweet that hinted he is considering the proposal made by a faction of Opposition leaders to pitch him as their candidate for the Presidential polls. While the Congress and Left parties were insisting that the former BJP leader should first resign from his party post to emerge as a more acceptable face, the TMC has pitched Sinha’s name.

Sinha on Tuesday shared a tweet that read, “I am grateful to Mamataji for the honour and prestige she bestowed on me in the TMC. Now a time has come when for a larger national cause I must step aside from the party to work for greater opposition unity. I am sure she approves of the step."

Yashwant Sinha, who has been the vice president of the Trinamool Congress, has served as India's finance minister (under Chandra Shekhar's and AB Vajpayee's Prime Ministership) and foreign minister (under Vajpayee's Prime Ministership). In 2018, He quit the BJP and joined TMC.

Mamata Banerjee holds Oppn's meeting on Presidential Polls

In view of th impending Presidential elections, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has been holding talks with opposition leaders regarding fielding a common candidate against the BJP. 

On Tuesday, at the residence of Sharad Pawar, the Opposition leaders are holding a meeting to discuss the presidential polls, a day after West Bengal's ex-governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi refused to be nominated for the post. Earlier, both Pawar and National Conference patriarch Farooq Abdullah had turned down the offers.

It is to be noted that this is the second opposition meeting held in a week on this matter. Last week, Mamata Banerjee held talks in Delhi after inviting 22 non-BJP leaders. On June 15, the NCP, Trinamool Congress, and other opposition parties held a meeting to build a consensus on fielding a joint candidate against the NDA in the presidential election.

Presidential polls

As the term of President Ram Nath Kovind is ending on July 24, an election to fill this impending vacancy will be held on July 18. The President will be elected by the Electoral College comprising elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies through a secret ballot. June 29 is the deadline for filing nominations for the presidential elections. The polling is scheduled to take place on July 18 and the counting of votes will be on July 21. As Ram Nath Kovind's term ends on July 24 and the next president should be elected before that day.

Today, at least 17 Opposition parties will meet to select their consensus candidate for the presidential election.

(Image: PTI)

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Published June 21st, 2022 at 11:55 IST

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