Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday spoke to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on the Presidential elections with the latter telling him that he would stand by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision on the issue.
For his, sources said, Pawar told Naidu that he would be in Delhi in next couple of days for “further talks” on the Presidential election and the selection of a nominee.
As of now six parties — BSP, NCP, TDP, CPM, AINC (NR) — have been contacted by Naidu and views have been exchanged with them for the election of the new President due on July 17.
Naidu along with his Cabinet colleagues Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would hold formal discussions with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and CPM leader Sitaram Yechury on Friday.
The exercise for the selection of new President picked up momentum on Wednesday with Naidu, Singh and Jaitley holding talks with Opposition parties to hasten up a possible “consensus candidate” before the Prime Minister departs for his US visit on June 25.
The Committee formed by the BJP on Presidential selection comprising Naidu, Rajnath and Jaitley is holding talks with different Opposition leaders to work out a common candidate. The last date of filing nomination in the Presidential election is June 28.