Presidential election: Rajnath calls Uddhav Thackeray

The phone call comes in the backdrop of June 15 meeting of the opposition parties to build a consensus over the candidates for the high stake election. The meeting was attended by Sharad Pawar and Subhash Desai from Shiv Sena. In that meeting, Sharad Pawar's name was preferred as the Opposition candidate for the Presidential election. However, Pawar has already made it clear that he will not run for the presidency. Later in the meeting, Mamata Banerjee proposed the names of Farooq Abdullah and Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

Mumbai: Defense Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh has telephoned Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday evening ahead of the Presidential election on July 18. The phone call comes in the backdrop of the June 15 meeting of the opposition parties to build a consensus over the candidates for the high stake election.

The meeting was attended by Sharad Pawar and Subhash Desai from Shiv Sena, wherein Sharad Pawar's name was preferred as the Opposition candidate for the Presidential election. However, Pawar has already made it clear that he will not run for the presidency. Later in the meeting, Mamata Banerjee proposed the names of Farooq Abdullah and Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

The BJP has also started building a front for the presidential election. It is learned that Shiv Sena has demanded support for the NDA's presidential candidate. The BJP has tasked Rajnath Singh and BJP national president JP Nadda to hold discussions with other political parties over the matter. It is learned that Rajnath Singh also discussed the matter with Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and several other opposition leaders. The Opposition has called another meeting over the matter in Delhi on June 21.