Presidential polls: Mamata suggests Farooq Abdullah, Gopal Gandhi's names

After attending the meeting called by Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Jharkhand Lok Sabha MP Vijay Hansdak on Wednesday confirmed that Banerjee mentioned two more names besides Sharad Pawar for the presidential elections.

"Mamta Banerjee mentioned two more names besides Sharad Pawar, which include the names of Farooq Abdullah and Gopalkrishna Gandhi. However, on these two names, no other party leader expressed an opinion in this meeting," MP Vijay Hansdak told ANI.

He highlighted that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar would prepare a blueprint for the second meeting which would follow soon.

Hansdak stressed that new names were welcome and would be considered in the next meeting.

"Most of the party's main leaders were not involved in today's meeting, so no consensus has been reached on any other name except Sharad Pawar. The consensus is expected to be reached only after discussion with the top leader of the parties," he added.

Earlier, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday declined the Opposition leaders' proposal to become the candidate for election of President of India.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "I sincerely appreciate the leaders of opposition parties for suggesting my name as a candidate for the election of the President of India, at the meeting held in Delhi. However, I like to state that I have humbly declined the proposal of my candidature."

The meeting called by Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was attended by leaders from 17 opposition parties. It coincided with the date of notification for the presidential polls.

"In today's opposition meeting, all parties proposed the name of Sharad Pawar for presidential poll, but he said he cannot take this up now due to his health. All parties requested him to reconsider his decision," CPI leader Binoy Viswam told ANI.

Sudheendra Kulkarni said opposition parties are keen on a candidate "who can truly serve as custodian of the constitution and stop the Modi government from doing further damage to Indian democracy and India's social fabric".

Congress participated in the meeting along with 16 other political parties. Apart from TMC, Congress and NCP, the parties which attended the meeting included CPI, CPI(M), CPIML, RSP, Shiv Sena, RJD, SP, National Conference, PDP, JD(S), DMK, RLD, IUML and JMM. They participated in the meeting held at the Constitution Club of India here. The polling for the presidential election is slated for July 18 and votes will be counted on July 21.