After hosting a luncheon meeting of opposition leaders from 17 political parties to evolve a consensus on presidential candidate, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has constituted a sub-group of opposition leaders to take forward the deliberations and discussions in this reagard.
According to senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, the sub-group would discuss how to go about the presidential and vice-presidential elections.
"Presidential election was briefly discussed today (in the Congress Working Committee meeting). It was decided in the luncheon meeting (hosted by Gandhi) that we should have a small sub-group. That group would discuss how to go about the presidential and vice-presidential elections," Ghulam Nabi Azad said after a CWC meeting.
"Around two days back, the Congress President, not acting in the capacity of Congress President, constituted a small sub-group. within a week's time, we'll have a meeting of that group," he added.
The sub-group would also have representatives from other opposition parties.
In the opening remarks of the CWC meeting, Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said: "In a few weeks, we will be electing the President and the Vice President of our republic. In times such as these, it is even more essential that those who occupy this august office protect the Constitution."
Gandhi said that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, other colleagues and she herself had met the leaders of like-minded parties to find commonly acceptable candidates for these high offices.
"A sub-group of representatives has been constituted to take this forward," she said.
Major opposition parties that came together on May 26 on a common platform had decided to contest the upcoming presidential election together if the government does not come up with a consensus candidate.
(With IANS inputs)
