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Prez poll: I thought you would come to us with some names, surprised Sonia Gandhi tells BJP leaders

The meeting which lasted around 20 minutes was inconclusive.

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BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu leaves after meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the Presidential poll as part of the ruling partys outreach to stitch a consensus on the official nominee, in New Delhi on Friday.
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The meeting between Congress President Sonia Gandhi and senior BJP leaders and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu failed to break the ice between the Opposition and the ruling dispensation regarding consensus candidate for upcoming Presidential election. 

 Sources in the meeting told DNA that BJP leaders instead of suggesting names they have decided upon asked Congress in case they have someone in mind. Apparently, Sonia Gandhi said that she expected BJP to come up with names so that they could take it back to the party. On this, BJP leaders told Sonia Gandhi that once they finalise the names they would like to see the support of the Congress.

Sonia Gandhi told BJP leaders that they too have not come to any conclusion on a candidate yet. Ghulam Nabi Azad told DNA that it is not mandatory that Opposition be told the name but in this case no proper discussion could take place. Sources said that when Ghulam Nabi Azad pressed the BJP leaders if they have decided on a set of probable candidates, Rajnath Singh said the party hasn't reached that stage. 

Later, Azad said that when consensus was being built for APJ Abdul Kalam, then NDA had shared the name with them on which they had supported BJP’s candidate. The meeting lasted over 20 minutes which was also attended by PAC Chief Mallikarjun Kharge.  Subsequently Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu met Sitaram Yechury to take suggestions. The leaders also met MM Joshi and LK Advani for consultations. In all the meetings, the committee members appointed by BJP President Amit Shah sought suggestions and took feedback. Throughout  the day the corridors of power were abuzz with rumours of either Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan or Foreign Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as possible candidates but none was willing to speak on record about these names. 

BJP is expected to declare the name of the candidate before 24th of this month as Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be leaving for Washington for one to one meeting with US President Donald Trump.

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