Apart from Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the Congress was represented by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and leaders Ahmed Patel, A K Antony and Ghulam Nabi Azad besides Mallikarjun Kharge.
Forging a common stance on the upcoming presidential polls, a united opposition including Congress and some arch rivals on Friday decided to field its candidate if the NDA government fails to come up with an “acceptable consensual” nominee.
Leaders of 17 parties came together at a luncheon hosted by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on a day when the Modi government celebrated its third anniversary.
“NDA had failed on all fronts. Its only achievement is that it has set the Pakistan flag fluttering in Kashmir for the first time after independence,” RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in case a consensus candidate does not come up, a small committee of opposition leaders will be formed to select a suitable presidential candidate who is “good and secular”.
The JD-U was represented there by Sharad Yadav and K C Tyagi, besides RJD’s Prem Chand Gupta.
