Sitaram Yechury meets Sonia Gandhi over presidential candidate

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided to call a meeting of all “like-minded” parties next month to explore the possibility of putting up a joint non-BJP presidential candidate.

The momentum to prop up a “secular” candidate gained momentum when CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury met Mrs Gandhi soon after the Congress president had a similar meeting with Bihar CM and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar.

Both leaders are learnt to have discussed with Mrs Gandhi the need for all Opposition parties to join hands to take on the BJP juggernaut and begin by putting up a consensual Opposition presidential candidate.

Before the CPM general secretary met Mrs Gandhi, the Left parties, including the CPM and CPI, had met among themselves and decided to go along with a joint Opposition presidential candidate.

“The Congress president decided to take a lead in the matter after requests from both Mr Kumar and Mr Yechury,” sources said, adding the meeting was likely to be held next month. The presidential polls are due to be held in July when President Pranab Mukherjee completes his term.