NEW DELHI:  A preliminary meeting with top leaders was conducted at NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar's residence here on Tuesday, ahead of a bigger conference of all opposition parties to decide on a consensus candidate for the office of President. Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress's Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, as well as Left stalwarts D. Raja and Sitaram Yechury, attended the meeting.

Later in the day, Pawar is convening a meeting of all opposition parties at Parliament Annexe to decide on a consensus candidate for President, whose election is set for July 18.

"The purpose of the conference was to conduct preliminary discussions. At today's meeting of the Opposition parties, a blueprint has been produced and will be shared with other leaders" source said.

After reaching a consensus, the meeting is expected to name a candidate for President. Mamata Banerjee, the head of the Trinamool Congress, hosted a conference in Delhi earlier this week during which leaders from all major opposition parties agreed to field a single, consensus candidate.

Meanwhile, veteran leader and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha has announced his retirement from the Trinamool Congress, sparking speculation that he may be the opposition's candidate. The BJP, however, is expected to announce its presidential candidate later in the day.

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