Presidential elections 2022: Who is Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's grandson?

Gopalkrishna Gandhi's name has cropped up in the Presidential elections 2022 race. According to reports, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had conducted a meeting of Opposition parties on Wednesday, proposed Gandhi's name as the opposition's joint candidate. She also proposed Farooq Abdullah's name. So far there is consensus only on the name of Sharad Pawar, but he refused to contest the presidential polls.

According to reports, Opposition leaders spoke to Gandhi over phone and urged him to consider becoming the joint candidate for the presidential elections. When PTI reached him for remarks he said, "It was too premature to comment on it". 

Who is Gopalkrishna Gandhi?

Gopalkrishna Gandhi is the grandson of the two greatest champions of India's Independence -- Mahatma Gandhi and C Rajagopalachari. His father Devdas Gandhi was Mahatma Gandhi's son and was a journalist.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi, born in April 1945, has had a successful career. He is a retired Indian Administrative Service officer, acclaimed author, a diplomat and a public intellectual. He writes columns for several dailies. Gandhi had contested the 2017 Vice Presidential polls and lost to Venkaiah Naidu.

After serving as an IAS officer till 1985 in Tamil Nadu, Gandhi remained Secretary to Vice-Present and Joint Secretary to President of India. He held several diplomatic positions, including High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka and Ambassador of India to Norway.

Between 2004 and 2006, Gandhi remained the Governor of West Bengal and later the Governor of Bihar. 

He currently teaches history and politics in Haryana's Ashoka University.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi has reportedly sought more time from the leaders to decide on their request. 

The election to elect a successor to President Ram Nath Kovind will be held on July 18.