Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 4:
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will make efforts to get elected a candidate with secular credentials as the President of India, claimed Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury.

publive-image

“Today I met the Chief Minister. The basic issue of our discussion was the forthcoming presidential election. He said we desire to work together to have a suitable secular candidate as the President of India,” Yechury told reporters after his meeting with Patnaik at the state secretariat here today.

However, the CPI-M General Secretary refrained from disclosing the name of the probable candidate the Opposition has zeroed in.

“When the time comes we will tell you,” remarked Yechury in response to a question by reporters on who was the Opposition’s probable candidate.

The issue of Opposition fielding a common candidate for the post of President of India has been discussed with the Congress, NCP, JDU, JDS and RJD, the senior CPI-M leader informed.

Support from the Biju Janata Dal, which has more than 32,500 votes in the presidential election, will be of vital importance for the Opposition to give a fighting chance against the ruling National Democratic Alliance.

Earlier, Patnaik had said that BJD will reveal its cards only after the nominees are announced.