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| Farooq’s decision to turn down opposition’s offer on Prez election sends many messages | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 18: Former Union Minister and National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Saturday turned down the offer to be the Opposition’s candidate for the coming election of the President of India.
By declining the offer to contest the Presidential as a consensus candidate of opposition parties, Dr. Farooq Abdullah has given many messages in one stroke.
On the one hand, he keeps a backdoor channel open for the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, on the other hand, he has given a message that he would focus on J&K only in the coming days.
Dr. Farooq Abdullah is the second veteran politician who has turned down this offer. Earlier former Defence Minister and president of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad Pawar has refused to contest the presidential election as a consensus candidate of opposition parties.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Dr. Abdullah said he was honoured after his name was proposed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a possible joint Opposition candidate but withdrew his name from consideration.
“I am honoured to have had my name proposed as a possible joint opposition candidate for the office of President of India by Mamata Banerjee Sahiba. Subsequent to Mamata didi proposing my name, I have received a number of calls from opposition leaders offering their support for my candidature”, the veteran politician of J&K said.
“I have taken a few days to discuss this unexpected development with my family and senior colleagues. I am deeply touched by the support that I've received and honoured to have been considered for the highest office in the country”, he said.
Refusing to contest the elections, he said, “I believe that Jammu & Kashmir is passing through a critical juncture and my efforts are required to help navigate these uncertain times”.
“I have a lot more active politics ahead of me and look forward to making a positive contribution in the service of J&K and the country. Therefore I would like to respectfully withdraw my name from consideration and I look forward to supporting the joint opposition consensus candidate”, he said.
“I'm very grateful to Mamata didi for proposing my name. I'm also grateful to all the senior leaders who offered me their support”, the patriarch of the National Conference said.
During the opposition parties meeting in Delhi, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on June 15 proposed the name of Dr. Farooq Abdullah as a presidential candidate after NCP leader Sharad Pawar declined the offer.
Mamata Banerjee, who had met Sharad Pawar on June 14 evening, proposed his name as soon as the meeting of opposition parties started today.
Reports said that when Sharad Pawar refused the offer, she suggested two options, which included former Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah. |
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