Presidential Election 2017: Sushma Swaraj dismisses reports of being a contender as 'rumours'

New Delhi: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday dismissed reports that she was a contender in the presidential poll as “rumours”. [caption id=“attachment_3405636” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Sushma Swaraj. PTI[/caption] Though neither the government nor the Opposition has declared their candidate for the poll to elect the country’s first citizen, several names, including Swaraj’s, have been doing the rounds. “These are rumours. I am an external affairs minister and you are asking me something which is an internal matter,” she said when asked by reporters whether she was being considered as a candidate in the presidential poll. Meanwhile, BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naidu met CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Friday and assured him that they would come up with names in three-four days and sought his part’s support. Stressing that support can be given to a particular individual who can uphold the Constitution, Yechury said, “we would have certainly thought about such a person, but they did not suggest any name. So, there is nothing to think about when they did not suggest any name.” The presidential poll is scheduled to be held on 17 July while the counting of votes would be held on 20 July. As per the schedule, 28 June is the last day for nominations, while a candidate can withdraw from the electoral battle till 1 July.