Mamata meets Sonia, favours consensus candidate for presidential poll

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and conveyed that her party was in favour of an opposition consensus candidate for the presidential election.

"We want a consensus candidate. This is good for the country," Banerjee told reporters here.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting.

Banerjee said Sonia Gandhi will hold further consultations with opposition parties on the choice of presidential candidate and she would again meet her in about a week after the process is completed.

The term of President Pranab Mukherjee ends in July. The ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has not given any inkling so far on its choice of candidate for the post of President.

Sonia Gandhi has taken the initiative to try and evolve a consensus on a common candidate by speaking to leaders opposed to the ruling BJP.

She has spoken to Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD chief Lalu Prasad and met JD-U leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah.

The Congress chief is also expected to meet Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati.