Congress President Sonia Gandhi has reached out to NCP leader Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other leaders of anti-BJP parties to hold discussions on electing a successor to President Ram Nath Kovind ahead of the Presidential Elections next month, news agency PTI reported. As per the report, the Congress on Saturday said that the opposition parties should unanimously elect a candidate who can protect the Constitution, institutions and the citizenry from the "ongoing onslaught" by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).