The Congress on Saturday urged opposition parties to rise above their differences and elect a President who can protect the Constitution, institutions, and the citizens from the "ongoing onslaught" by the ruling BJP.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said while his party has not suggested any particular name, "we owe it to our people to elect a President who can apply a healing touch to the fractured social fabric and defend our Constitution... We believe that Congress along with other political parties should be taking this discussion forward," he said in a statement.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has reached out and deliberated with NCP leader Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and other leaders of anti-BJP parties over the issue of the July 18 poll to elect a successor to President Ram Nath Kovind.
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The term of incumbent President Ram Nath Kovind ends on July 24. Kharge has already initiated discussions with many opposition leaders. He has met Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray besides holding telephonic discussions with Banerjee and some other leaders to reach a consensus on a candidate for the post from the opposition camp.
Banerjee, on the other hand, has written to all opposition leaders and convened a meeting on this matter on June 15 in the national capital.
