Who is Yashwant Sinha, Opposition's candidate for presidential polls?

A former IAS officer, the veteran politician will face the yet-to-be-announced candidate of the ruling NDA coalition in the July 18 polls.

Published on: Jun 21, 2022, 16:33:49 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha will be the joint opposition's candidate for the upcoming presidential elections, slated to be held on July 18. Sinha emerged as the opposition's ‘unanimous’ choice, the parties said on Tuesday after holding their second round of talks to discuss presidential polls; in the first round, also held in Delhi, on June 15, they passed a resolution stating they will field a consensus candidate.

Also Read | Yashwant Sinha, ex-union minister, is joint Opposition's Presidential candidate

Meanwhile, here are a few things you need to know about Yashwant Sinha:

(1.) Born in Patna on November 6, 1937, Sinha joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1960, and held various important posts during his service tenure. He resigned from service in 1984.

(2.) Sinha began his political career with the Janata Party in 1984. He was also a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 1992 to 2018. In 2021, he joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and was made its national vice president.

Also Read | Yashwant Sinha likely to be declared opposition's presidential polls candidate

(3.) During his political career, the 84-year-old leader, at various points, served as the Union minister of finance, minister of external affairs, among others. He last served as the external affairs minister, from July 2002 to May 2004, in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

(4.) Sinha is a vocal critic of the incumbent BJP government under prime minister Narendra Modi. His disagreement with the Modi government and BJP on several issues led to his resignation from the party, and, later, entry into the TMC.

(5.) Sinha, along with fellow BJP critics – former Union minister Arun Shourie and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan – filed a joint petition in the top court seeking a review of its clean chit to the Modi government in the Rafale case. The apex court dismissed all the review petitions.

(6.) His son, Jayant Sinha, is also a member of the ruling party. Jayant Sinha served as Union minister in PM Modi's first government, from 2014-2019.

(7.) In 2015, the senior politician received Officier de la Legion d'Honneur, the French government's highest civilian award.

(8.) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar was the opposition's preferred choice for the 15th President of India. However, he politely rejected the proposal.

(9.) Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah and former Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, also decided not to be the opposition's nominee.

(10.) The BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is yet to announce it choice. The counting of votes will be held on July 21.

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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

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