Presidential poll: Mamata congratulates Sinha on becoming Oppn nominee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday congratulated former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, who has emerged as the consensus presidential candidate of 13 opposition parties, including the Congress, and hoped that he would protect the values the country represents.

Leaders of the non-BJP parties, who gathered in New Delhi for a meeting convened by NCP chief Sharad Pawar to decide on a consensus candidate for the presidential election, agreed on Sinha's name.

Banerjee tweeted, "I would like to congratulate Shri @YashwantSinha on becoming the consensus candidate, supported by all progressive opposition parties, for the upcoming Presidential Election. A man of great honour and acumen, who would surely uphold the values that represent our great nation!"

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee who attended the opposition meeting also congratulated Sinha.

"It is my firm belief that for all progressive parties who share the same vision for our nation, there could not have been a better choice!" he said in a Twitter post.

Sinha, a former BJP leader, joined the TMC last year.

Earlier in the day, Sinha said that he will "step aside" from the TMC to work for the larger national cause of Opposition unity, amid indications that he is being considered as the Opposition's joint candidate for the presidential elections.

Sinha's name came up after NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah opted out of the race.