Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that NDA Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu has a ‘greater’ chance to win the poll.
Inaugurating Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra of ISKCON, Mamata said that BJP didn’t discuss the names of the probable candidates before announcing the name of Droupadi.
“I have a sentiment for women and that too from tribal class has a better chance to win especially after the recent development in Maharashtra. The next President of the country could have been decided with consensus had the BJP discussed the name before the announcement. I would have been happy if the candidate would have been decided in consensus,” said Mamata.
Mamata also said that BJP wanted to know the ‘suggestion’ of opposition but didn’t inform anything about their decision to the opposition.
“I have respect for people of all religions. APJ Abdul Kalam was also selected in consensus. Now I cannot say anything as 17-18 opposition parties have decided on the opposition candidate and I will have to go by what the rest of the parties decide,” mentioned the Chief Minister.
BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh said that Mamata doesn’t stand ‘firm’ in her decision and also claimed that knowing 'defeat' she is changing her stand.
Slamming the Chief Minister, Congress state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must have ‘given’ something to didi for which she is deviating from her stand.
“To keep Modi happy, didi is now deviating. Modi must have given some offer to Didi and now she wants to keep BJP in good humor,” slammed Chowdhury.
Meanwhile, according to Trinamool Congress sources, the TMC MPs might skip the first day of the monsoon session of the Parliament scheduled on July 15 and will vote for the Presidential poll in the state Assembly along with party MLAs.
