New Delhi, Jun 21 (IANS): The opposition parties on Tuesday announced former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha as their consensus candidate for the post of President, election for which is to be held on July 18.

"We (opposition parties) have unanimously decided that Yashwant Sinha will be our common candidate for the Presidential election," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told media persons soon after the meeting of the combined opposition parties held at the Parliament Annexe.

The meeting was called by NCP top leader Sharad Pawar and attended by leaders from the Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, CPI, CPI-M, National Conference, and RJD among others.

"In his long and distinguished career in public life, Sinha has served the nation in various capacities. An able administrator, accomplished Parliamentarian, and an acclaimed Union Minister of Finance and External Affairs, he is eminently qualified to uphold the secular and democratic character of the Indian republic and its constitutional values," he said.

"Ideally, a consensus candidate of the government and the opposition should be elected to the highest office of the republic. However, the initiative for this should have been taken by the government. The Modi government made no serious effort in this direction," he added.

Earlier in the day, Sinha had resigned from Trinamool Congress (TMC) leading to speculations about his name being finalized for the President's post as opposition's candidate.

Last week, the opposition parties had convened a similar meeting wherein several leaders had wanted NCP leader Sharad Pawar to be the opposition candidate. Pawar had, however, declined the offer.

The voting for the Presidential poll is scheduled to be held on July 18 and counting to be held on July 21.