New Delhi: Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the former West Bengal Governor and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, declined the offer to become the opposition parties’ joint candidate for the upcoming Presidential election.
In a statement, Gopalkrishna Gandhi said he was grateful that his name was considered for the Presidential race but he opined that the opposition’s candidate “should be one who will generate a national consensus”.
“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,” he said.
“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,” he added.
Earlier, National Conference (NC) supremo Farooq Abdullah withdrew his name for consideration as the joint candidate of the opposition for Presidential elections slated to be held on July 18. In a statement, Abdullah thanked opposition leaders for proposing his name as their candidate.
Presidential elections in India will take place on July 18 and the counting of votes, if needed, will take place on July 21.
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