<div align="justify">Left parties are expected to make a pitch for former diplomat-governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi or Constitution architect B R Ambedkar's grandson, Prakash Ambedkar, as a consensus candidate for the presidential poll at an opposition meeting today, sources here said.<br /><br />However, Left leaders would be open to other suggestions at the meeting, to be held later in the day, the sources said.<br /><br />Former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar and ex-home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde are believed to be among the others being considered by the opposition parties.<br /><br />CPI national secretary D Raja's name was also proposed by "some individuals and not parties", the sources added.<br /><br />"We feel there has to be a contest. We think either Gandhi or Ambedkar should be fielded as the joint opposition candidate. However, that said, we are also open to considering other names," a top Left leader told PTI.<br /><br />Leaders of key opposition parties, barring those from Nitish Kumar's JD(U), are expected to attend the meeting.<br /><br />The JD(U) yesterday declared its support to NDA nominee ex-Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind for the July 17 Presidential election.</div>
<div align="justify">Left parties are expected to make a pitch for former diplomat-governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi or Constitution architect B R Ambedkar's grandson, Prakash Ambedkar, as a consensus candidate for the presidential poll at an opposition meeting today, sources here said.<br /><br />However, Left leaders would be open to other suggestions at the meeting, to be held later in the day, the sources said.<br /><br />Former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar and ex-home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde are believed to be among the others being considered by the opposition parties.<br /><br />CPI national secretary D Raja's name was also proposed by "some individuals and not parties", the sources added.<br /><br />"We feel there has to be a contest. We think either Gandhi or Ambedkar should be fielded as the joint opposition candidate. However, that said, we are also open to considering other names," a top Left leader told PTI.<br /><br />Leaders of key opposition parties, barring those from Nitish Kumar's JD(U), are expected to attend the meeting.<br /><br />The JD(U) yesterday declared its support to NDA nominee ex-Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind for the July 17 Presidential election.</div>