Sharad Pawar says 'happy to continue my service' after declining Prez poll offer

Sharad Pawar said he is happy to continue his service for the wellbeing of the common man and declined the offer of the opposition parties to be a candidate for the elections of the President of India.

Published on: Jun 15, 2022, 19:04:37 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Poulomi Ghosh

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday put out his statement that he has declined the proposal of the opposition parties to suggest his name as a candidate for the election of the President of India. "I am happy to continue my service for the wellbeing of the common man," Pawar tweeted explaining why he said 'no' to the proposal. Also Read: 'You have not seen Akhilesh, Mufti together': At opposition meet, Mamata thrashes 'bulldozing' govt

Sharad Pawar said he is not interested in contesting the presidential election to be held next month.

After Sharad Pawar declined the offer, Mamata Banerjee suggested the names of Farooq Abdullah and Gopalkrishna Gandhi as opposition candidate for the election, RSP's NK Premchandran who attended the opposition leaders' meeting in New Delhi said.

Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee had last week invited leaders of opposition political parties to produce 'a confluence of opposition voices' for the July 18 election. Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel of the NCP, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Surjewala of the Congress, H D Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S), Akhilesh Yadav of the SP, Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP and Omar Abdullah of the National Conference attended the meeting on Wednesday, while TRS, AAP and BJD stayed away.

At the meeting, it has been decided that the opposition will go for a unanimous presidential candidate.

The BJP, on the other hand, began the consultation exercise for the presidential election with senior party leader Rajnath Singh speaking to Mamata Banerjee, Congress's Mallikarjun Kharge and Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, news agency PTI reported. Rajnath Singh made the calls on the same day the opposition parties sat for a meeting to discuss on the same issue. Rajnath Singh also called Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to deliberate upon the presidential polls.

(With agency inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.