Presidential poll: Rajnath Singh, Naidu meet Sonia Gandhi

Senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and M. Venkaiah Naidu met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday to reach a consensus on a presidential candidate, polling for which is scheduled to take place on July 17.

Singh and Naidu, who are part of the three-member team constituted by Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah for discussion with political parties reached 10 Janpath around 11 a.m.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Naidu were appointed by BJP president Amit Shah on June 12 to hold talks with opposition parties and allies in a bid to select a consensus candidate for the poll.

President Pranab Mukherjee’s term ends on July 24.

Sources say that the candidate for the top constitutional post is likely to file his nomination before Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for the US on June 25.