Prez poll: Committee formed to campaign for Yashwant Sinha

New Delhi, June 27: Hours after nomination was filed by Yashwant Sinha on Monday as the joint Opposition candidate for the Presidential election, a committee was formed for nationwide campaigning in his favour.

The committee has total of 11 members across the opposition political parties.

The members include Jairam Ramesh from Congress, Tiruchi Siva from DMK, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy from Trinamool Congress, Sitaram Yechury from CPI-M, Ram Gopal Yadav from Samajwadi Party, Praful Patel from NCP, Ranjit Reddy from TRS, Manoj Jha from RJD, D Raja from CPI, one Shiv Sena nominee and Civil Society Member Sudheendra Kulkarni.

Sinha, a former Union minister, filed his nomination as the common opposition candidate against NDA nominee Draupadi Murmu for the Presidential election to be held on July 18.

"I am thankful to all the opposition parties who came together and chose me as their candidate. It's being said I am the 4th choice but I want to say that even if I were at the 10th, I would've accepted because it's a big battle," said Yashwant Sinha after filing his nomination.

Sinha further said the President has certain responsibilities in the Constitution and it is his responsibility to be a part of the checks and balances.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, CPI-M Sitaram Yechury and other opposition leaders were present during the filing of Sinha's nomination.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, speaking after the nomination, said: "This is fight of the ideology and the opposition is united on the candidature of Yashwant Sinha."