Prez Polls: ‘Others Better Than I’, Says Gopalkrishna Gandhi; Oppn’s All 3 Choices Out

​“The Opposition’s candidate should be one who will generate a national consensus and there will be others who will do this far better than I,” said Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former West Bengal governor and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, in his statement on Monday, turning down the Opposition’s request to be their candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections.

The statement came amid reports that he was the frontrunner for the Opposition after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar and National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah declined the offer.

“Several esteemed leaders of the Opposition have done me the honour of thinking of me for the Opposition’s candidature in the upcoming elections for the highest office of Rashtrapati. I am most grateful to them. But having considered the matter deeply I see that the Opposition’s candidate should be one who will generate a national consensus and a national atmosphere beside Opposition unity. I feel there will be others who will do this far better than I. And so I have requested the leaders to give the opportunity to such a person,” the statement said.

Sources said some Opposition leaders had spoken to Gandhi over the phone and urged him to consider their request. Opposition parties were likely to meet on Tuesday and take a decision on a consensus candidate.

“May India get a President worthy of the office presaged by Rajaji as the last Governor General and inaugurated by Dr Rajendra Prasad as our first President,” wrote Gandhi.

He was the governor of West Bengal from 2004 to 2009. The 77-year-old former bureaucrat has also served as India’s High Commissioner to South Africa and Sri Lanka.

The polls to elect a successor to incumbent Ram Nath Kovind would be held on July 18. Kovind had defeated joint opposition nominee Meira Kumar in the last presidential polls.

With Agency inputs

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