President polls: BJP, ally JD(U) patch up after Advani nudge
After the snub from ally JD(U), BJP today embarked on some damage control by attempting a patch up with the party even president Nitin Gadkari spoke of approaching several UPA constituents to discuss a possible Presidential candidate.
Gadkari complained the government had not consulted his party, the principal Opposition, on the issue. BJP would have considered it had the government come up with the name of a person, who is independent, impartial and fair to reach a consensus, he said.
A day after differences surfaced in the NDA, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj today met JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who is also the NDA convenor, and is believed to have tried to patch up issues with him on her remarks on the Presidential election.
Sources said the meeting came about after senior BJP leader L K Advani expressed the view that NDA should not appear divided on a Presidential candidate.
Differences surfaced in the NDA yesterday over Swaraj's remarks that the BJP would oppose any Congress move to nominate Pranab Mukherjee or Vice President Hamid Ansari as a candidate.
Yadav took serious objection to her statement saying it was not his party's view and the issue had so far not been discussed in the NDA.
After the meeting between Swaraj and Yadav, both parties have agreed not to air views on the issue till a meeting of the NDA is held and a decision is taken on the Presidential candidate.
"What Swaraj had said was the BJP's view. The matter had
