Senior politician and former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha has been picked up unanimously as Oppositon’s candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections on Tuesday.

“We have uninamiously chosen Mr. Yashwant SInha as the common candidate for the presdiential elections,” senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told media.

Earlier in the day, Sinha quit Trinamool Congress party

He tweeted: “I am grateful to Mamataji for the honour and prestige she bestowed on me in the TMC. Now a time has come when for a larger national cause I must step aside from the party to work for greater opposition unity. I am sure she approves of the step.”

The polls for electing India’s 15th president will be held on July 18 and the results will be declared on July 21, the Election Commission announced Thursday.

The elections will be held as President Ram Nath Kovind’s tenure ends on July 24, 2022. He was elected in 2017.

West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata 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!” she said.

Sinha on Tuesday quit Trinamool Congress to work for a larger national cause.

He said time has come to work for greater opposition unity.

He tweeted: ” I am grateful to Mamataji for the honour and prestige she bestowed on me in the TMC. Now a time has come when for a larger national cause I must step aside from the party to work for greater opposition unity. I am sure she approves of the step. “

He made the announcement just hours before the opposition parties are scheduled to meet to decide on Presidential candidate.

Sinha’s name surfaced as Opposition scurried for a new consensus candidate – a “non-party” nominee – for the July 18 Presidential elections after Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Monday drove them into a crisis by declining their offer to fight the electoral battle, reports Deccan Herald.