Modi attends BJP Parliamentary Board meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived at the BJP headquarters to attend the party's Parliamentary Board meeting called to discuss and select the party's candidate for the July 17 presidential election.

Modi was welcomed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah at the party office on Ashoka Road in New Delhi area.

Besides Modi and Shah, Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar, M. Venkaiah Naidu and several top leaders are present at the party office for the meeting of the party's highest decision-making body.

According to informed sources, the board members would be briefed about the consultations held by the three-member party committee formed to evolve consensus with the opposition.

This three-member committee was constituted by Shah last week and it comprised senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Rajnath Singh, M. Venkaiah Naidu and Arun Jaitley.

Shah had on Sunday met the BJP's sulking ally Shiv Sena's President Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya Thackerey in Mumbai to ensure the Sena's crucial support in the presidential poll.

Meanwhile, Naidu on Sunday held discussions with Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party. He also met Samajwadi Party leaders Ram Gopal Yadav and Naresh Agrawal.

Jaitley spoke to leaders of the Trinamool Congress and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Last week, Rajnath Singh and Naidu met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury to evolve consensus on the candidate for Presidency.

--IANS

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