VP polls: INDIA bloc plans joint candidate

PRESS TRUST OF NDIA

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The INDIA bloc will put up a joint candidate for the vice presidential polls and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is reaching out to Opposition parties to explore names and reach a consensus on it, sources said Sunday.

They said that there was a strong feeling in the bloc that Opposition parties should not shy away from a contest to send a strong political message irrespective of the outcome.

Though there has not been any structured discussion on picking a candidate, backchannel talks are on among INDIA bloc partners to deliberate on names of possible candidates with Kharge reaching out to Opposition parties for building a consensus.

There is consensus among parties that the INDIA bloc will put up a joint candidate for the vice presidential polls, Congress sources said.

However, a section in the Opposition camp believes that the INDIA bloc must decide their candidate after the BJP announees its pick.

This comes at a time of heightened unity among INDIA bloc constituents who have vowed to fight against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and alleged poll rigging.