'Metro Man' E Sreedharan has denied reports of being the NDA candidate for the post of next president of India. Former Delhi Metro chief on Friday flatly refused any such development and insisted that he doesn’t harbour any such intention. “No reality in it, no discussions take place; don’t long for it,” Sreedharan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The BJP-led Central government has been engaged in war-like brainstorming to garner consensus for their candidate, which still remains unclear.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu held closed door meetings with senior party leaders and possible nominees LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi at their residences on Friday evening.
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Earlier in the day, the BJP leaders had a meeting with Opposition parties, which Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad termed fruitless as they didn't come up with names, rather with a hope that parties will offer their support when time comes.
"BJP leaders did not mention any name, instead tried asking us the same," Azad told media after meeting.
In the midst of the negotiations, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had a lunch meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee. Although the purpose of the meeting was not made public, but the timing of the meeting has raised question on possible RSS face for the post of Mukherjee's successor. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat himself has denied any interest, depite repeated suggestions by Shiv Sena.
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Update: NDA's candidate for Presidential elections to be decided by June 20, before which there will a meeting: Sources
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