President poll: BJP hunts for consensus

BJP CHIEF Amit Shah has put off a visit to Arunachal Pradesh and has also decided to skip the party's leadership meet, the National Executive, for discussions on the upcoming presidential polls. He has appointed a panel of senior ministers to forge consen

Just two days ahead of a twoweek window the Election Commission opens on Wednesday for nominations, the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday made the first move to forge a consensus on the presidential election.

BJP chief Amit Shah has set up a three-member panel comprising Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu to open negotiations on a possible nominee with leaders of various political parties "The committee's mandate is to consult leaders of all political parties for the presidential poll and try to evolve a consensus,” a BJP statement said.

Amit Shah has put off a visit to Arunachal Pradesh and also the party's leadership meet, the National Executive, for discussions on the upcoming presidential polls.

The Opposition has also constituted a panel headed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar to pick its own candidate unless the BJP comes up with the name of a secular leader for the country’s top post. It is waiting for the BJP to disclose its candidate.

Among the names that have been in circulation as the NDA's choice is that of Draupadi Murmu, the Governor of Jharkhand. But neither side has officially disclosed whom they would like to be the next President to succeed Pranab Mukherjee who retires on July 25. The Opposition, too, is believed to have sounded out former West Bengal Governor Gopal Gandhi and ex-Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

Should the Opposition puts up a candidate, the Left,

Janata Dal (United), Trinamool Congress among others, a contest will be inevitable and an election will be held on July 17.