Shiv Sena chief strategist Sanjay Raut has pitched NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) chief Sharad Pawar as the next candidate for the 2022 Presidential poll wherein the state legislature forms the electoral college. Keeping this in mind, it’s quite crucial that Raut has the support of all non-BJP ruled states before proceeding with this plan.
Raut is reportedly going on a tour of the non-BJP ruled states in order to discuss the feasibility of this plan with Chief Ministers of the states. It is said that Raut will meet leaders like Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan, INC), Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal, TMC), Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala, CPI-M), and Kamal Nath (Madhya Pradesh, INC).
“I think the numbers are on our side for the next Presidential poll. We’ve started working out the details. We’ll have to first talk to Pawarsahab and seek his clearance. I don’t think there will be any glitch,” Raut said.
It is said that Shiv Sena owes a great debt to Sharad Pawar for his timely intervention during the party’s fallout with the BJP, while also reportedly convincing INC chief Sonia Gandhi to agree to the coalition that ultimately kept BJP out of power.
Pawar’s name being pitched for the President of India’s post appears to be a logical conclusion for a leader of his stature. If elected, Pawar will succeed Ram Nath Kovind who was elected in 2017 for a 5-year term. Kovind was BJP’s candidate for the post, pipping INC’s candidate Meira Kumar by gaining more than 65% of the votes.
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