Sharad meets Sonia to discuss joint opposition Presidential candidate (Lead)

New Delhi April 26 (IANS) A day after Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja met Congress President Sonia Gandhi to discuss a joint opposition candidate for the upcoming presidential election senior JD-U leader Sharad Yadav on Tuesday also met her on the matter.

Yadav who is also considered as one of the potential candidates for the top post however refused to divulge the details of the meeting saying it was a courtesy call while Raja said he conveyed his party s stand to support a common candidate put up by all the secular democratic parties.

The issue of presidential election came up for discussion. I have expressed our party s position on presidential election. We will go along with other secular democratic parties to put up a common candidate.

We are also talking to other parties. If a common candidate is put up. that will be good Raja told IANS.

Raja also said no name for the candidature was discussed in the meeting which took place on Monday.

She listened to us and agreed with me. She has already met several people and is trying to reach out to others also he added.

Raja said there were discussions on the current political situation and on the issue of cow vigilantism.

There is growing intolerance in the country and the situation demands some kind of united people s resistance and she also agreed to it he said.

The meeting of these two leaders with Sonia Gandhi took place days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury met her to discuss the upcoming presidential elections and the need to field a joint opposition candidate.

Sources in Congress said that party is willing to give a joint fight to the ruling National Democratic Alliance in the presidential election and in the effort it is trying to make consensus with all like minded parties.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters that no discussion has taken place yet on candidates but the party is evolving all possibilities to give a joint fight.

As and when something evolves you will be informed he said.

--IANS
bns/vd