For the first time, the Congress Party has decided not to push for a Congress candidate for the presidential elections. Sonia Gandhi has pushed the idea of Opposition unity and it is for this reason that she is open to the idea of Gopalkrishna Gandhi as the Presidential candidate. Discussions are happening about the other candidates as well, however, Gandhi is the front runner. He also confirmed that he has been approached by the Opposition, however he declined to divulge any details.
Many non-Congress parties are also not keen to have a candidate from the Congress stable and that is why Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson is emerging as a front runner for the combined Opposition candidate. Sources in the Congress Party confirmed that the reason why Sonia Gandhi is open to a non-Congress candidate is because she doesn’t want to give a walkover to BJP, which has the numbers this time around for the presidential election.
Names of the other leaders are also being discussed as Opposition’s joint candidate. JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, NCP’s Sharad Pawar and Congress’ Miera Kumar are also making rounds. However, the two names that have prominently come up, are Miera Kumar and Gopalkrishna Gandhi
Congress President Sonia Gandhi is running from pillar to post to build consensus among anti-BJP parties. She has already met a number of leaders and will meet others including Mamata Banerjee. A decision on a common candidate will go a long way as it could be the precursor to a broad anti-BJP alliance for 2019 General Elections. Sonia Gandhi in this regard has already met Omar Abdullah, Sitaram Yechuri and Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Congress is hopeful that many regional satraps who feel threatened by BJP’s aggressive expansion may come around for a common front. But the irony of the matter is that the idea of a front against BJP is an admission to the fact that Congress has reduced in stature.
