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Naidu was yesterday made a part of the three-member panel, which also included Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who was being
seen as a contender for the presidentship, today said BJP chief Amit Shah had ended the speculation by nominating him to a committee he had constituted for talks with alliance partners and
opposition on the issue. "My president (Amit Shah) has done (me) a favour yesterday by including me in the committee, so that speculation (comes to an end)," Naidu said with his
tongue firmly in cheek. Naidu was yesterday made a part of the three-member panel, which also included Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. They have been tasked
with holding talks to evolve a consensus with other political parties, which are likely to field their own presidential candidate. The 67-year-old former BJP president was seen as a top
contender for the president's post. (This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)