Rajnath Singh talks about presidential election with leaders of other key parties

BJP has begun consulting political parties to know their views on the presidential election. Defence minister Rajnath Singh had telephonic conversations with important leaders on Wednesday. Singh, along with BJP chief JP Nadda, has been authorised by BJP to discuss the issue with parties belonging to NDA and UPA as well as other parties.

Singh spoke with Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge but did not suggest any candidate, according to BJP insiders. Singh's call on Kharge was because Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is in hospital following post-Covid-19 complications. Singh also discussed the issue with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, both of whom are in the forefront of sewing up an opposition alliance for putting up a candidate against the NDA nominee for the top post.

BSP chief Mayawati and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav also received a call from Singh. The defence minister also discussed the issue over phone with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has been authorised by his party to take a call on who the party should support in the presidential election. Singh also called up BJD chief Naveen Patnaik to seek his support for the NDA. BJP will need BJD on its side to secure a majority. Patnaik had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on May 30. His party is likely to back NDA.


Meanwhile, 11 candidates filed nomination papers on Wednesday, the first day of filing nominations, for the post. The nominations were filed in the office of Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody, the returning officer for the election. The nomination papers of one of the candidates was rejected right away as he had not submitted relevant documents relating to an entry in the electoral roll of the respective parliamentary constituency.

None of the candidates are prominent names and their papers are likely to be rejected after scrutiny for want of mandatory backing of sponsoring MPs.