NEW DELHI: Opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha congratulated the 15th president-elect Droupadi Murmu on Thursday stating that as the 15th President of the Republic India hopes she would function as the "Custodian of the Constitution" without fear or favour.
In a statement issued after Murmu's victory, Sinha thanked the Opposition political parties for choosing him as their consensus candidate in the presidential election and the members of the Electoral College who voted for him.
"I accepted the offer of Opposition parties solely guided by the philosophy of Karma Yoga preached by Lord Krishna in the Bhagwat Gita--"Do your duty without expectation of the fruit thereof".I performed my duty conscientiously out of my love for my country and the issues I raised during my campaign remain pertinent", Sinha said.
He further said that his candidature benefited Indian democracy in two important ways. "First, it brought most Opposition parties on a common platform. This is indeed the need of the hour and second I tried to highlight the views, concerns, and commitment of the Opposition parties on major issues before the nation and the common people", he said.
He further claimed that during his campaign he voiced strong concern over the blatant and rampant weaponization of ED, CBI, Income tax department, and even the office of Governor against Opposition Parties and their leaders.
"These institutions are also being misused to engineer defections and topple Opposition-run state governments. India has never seen political corruption of such magnitude", Sinha remarked in a statement even after being defeated in the presidential election.
He vented his discontent with the Modi government, and further said that coupled with the poisonous politics of polarization, poses a grave danger to democracy and communal harmony in India.
"I'm happy that my views found strong resonance among the CMs, leaders, MPs, and MLAs belonging to Opposition parties in all states I visited. I pledge that till the last breath in my body, I shall continue to serve the cause I believe in the very cause that guided me to contest the election for the highest office of the Republic", he said in the last of his statement.