Prez Poll: Joined By Top Oppn Leaders, Yashwant Sinha Files Nomination; TRS Also Announces Support

Opposition’s presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha on Monday filed his nomination papers for the July 18 election. Sinha handed over four sets of nomination papers to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody, who is the returning officer for the presidential election.

Top opposition leaders including NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, DMK’s A Raja and NC leader Farooq Abdullah were present when Sinha submitted his nomination papers.

Ahead of the presidential nomination, Telangana Rashtra Samithi has announce backing Yashwant Sinha for President. TRS working president and Minister KT Rama Rao will also be attending the nomination programme of Sinha on Monday, sources have said.

“President of TRS Sri KCR Garu has decided to extend support to the candidature of Sri Yashwant Sinha Ji in the election for President of India. Along with our Members of Parliament, I will be representing the TRS at the nomination today,” Rao said in a tweet.

Along with Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (also known as KCR), and some of the TRS MPs would also attend the programme. The sources said though KCR did not physically participate in the Opposition parties meet on deciding their common candidate for the presidential elections, the Telangana’s ruling party decided to support Sinha’s candidature.

The announcement comes days after K Chandrashekhar Rao had opted out of the big meeting called by her to discuss a joint strategy for the Presidential election, raising strong objections to the Congress being invited.

Last week, Yashwant Sinha was declared Presidential candidate by opposition parties. Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi had declined to be presidential nominees of opposition parties.

The presidential election would be held on July 18 to elect a successor to incumbent Ram Nath Kovind and the result would be out on July 21. Kovind’s term will end on July 24.

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