Opposition leaders discuss president s poll

New Delhi June 14 (IANS) Leaders of opposition parties on Wednesday held preliminary discussions on the presidential election but decided to await the government s choice of the nominee for the post before they decide their strategy.

Leaders of nine parties met in the parliament house in the chamber of the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad who told reporters later that no names were discussed in their meeting.

It was a preliminary meeting. No nitty gritty nor names were discussed. All parties are totally united he said.

Azad said even as the opposition leaders were meeting it has been disclosed that the three-member team constituted by BJP to hold discussion with opposition parties for a consensus will meet opposition leaders including Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

No finalisation of name is possible he said adding the sub group of the opposition parties will meet in the next few days and discuss in detail by when the government would have also discussed with the opposition parties its choice.

Azad said the future discussion among the opposition parties will depend on the candidate the ruling side choose and the party he belongs to.

Then only we can have substantial discussions he said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Prasad told the media that they would remove BJP.

Among those who attended the meeting in Azad s chamber were Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) Sharad Yadav (JD-U) Praful Patel (NCP) Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP) Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress) Derek O Brien (TMC) and R.S. Bharti (DMK).

--IANS
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