Presidential poll: Sonia to meet Mamata this week

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi later this week when the issue of Presidential poll candidate may come up for discussion.

While Congress sources said the meeting between the two is billed for May 3, high-placed Trinamool sources quoted Mamata as saying that it is likely on May 4.

Congress sources said Gandhi will be discussing the issue of Presidential poll nominee with Mamata as part of Congress' efforts to reach out to its UPA allies to evolve a consensus on the candidature for the top post.

However, Trinamool sources said Mamata will pay a just "courtsey" call on Gandhi as the two had not met for a long time and the Congress chief had been unwell recently.       

Congress has already discussed the Presidential poll candidate with Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Dravida Munettra Kazhagam supremo M Karunanidhi. Pawar had met Gandhi at her residence last week while senior Congress leader A K Antony had a meeting with Karunanidhi in Chennai on Sunday on the Presidential candidate.