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‘Dangerous hunger for power’, says opposition presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha on Maharashtra ‘powerplay’
Yashwant Sinha is contesting the presidential elections against NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.
Yashwant Sinha, the opposition's joint candidate for presidential polls, called the political developments in Maharashtra 'a dangerous hunger for power'.
“You have seen what happened in Maharashtra (where the BJP has formed a government with Shiv Sena rebels). Does it raise the importance of our democracy," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Slamming the BJP-led Central government, Sinha said: “The government at the Centre does not believe in politics of integration but is indulging in politics of confrontation.”
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The former Union minister also spoke at length on the recent incidents of communal violence in the country. He said that the “unrest all around the country is being caused by an ideology that wants to keep society divided on communal lines.” Under such circumstances, the role of the President, he added, is to honour the post and not act as a puppet in the hands of the prime minister.
"The post of President is a dignified one. There are some duties of the President as per the Constitution, which should be discharged. We have seen in history that some presidents have honoured the post while some remained silent and could not succeed much in discharging their responsibilities," he said.
"I believe today we do not need a silent president who gets elected to the post but does not discharge constitutional obligations. The president has the right to give suggestions to the government but if he or she is a puppet in the hands of the prime minister, then he or she will not do it," he asserted.
Yashwant Sinha is contesting the presidential elections against NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.
The presidential elections will be held on July 18 and counting will be held on July 21. The new president will have to take oath on July 25.
