Prez polls: Sonia calls meeting of Oppn parties on May 24

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has sent out an invite to leaders of Opposition parties to meet in Delhi on May 24 to put up a common candidate for President. Gandhi had a meeting with TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday where the two leaders discussed the possibility of arriving at a consensus Presidential candidate. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had floated the idea of projecting current incumbent President Pranab Mukherjee as a consensus candidate. This suggestion was understandably brushed aside by the BJP who have their own candidate in mind.

Sonia Gandhi was apparently keen on up putting up NCP veteran Sharad Pawar for the top constitutional position.

However, the Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday said its president Sharad Pawar has rejected Congress chief's proposal to be the opposition's candidate in the country's presidential election.

"There was a meeting between Pawar and Gandhi, in which the issue of candidates for the post of president was also discussed. Pawar clearly informed Gandhi that she should consider somebody else's name," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.

Top Opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee and other regional heavyweights are expected to turn up for the Opposition brainstorming session on May 24 at the Congress President's residence.