The opposition knows that whoever it may field as its presidential candidate, they can't but lose. To avoid this embarrassment, it has floated a new idea that it may not oppose NDA's nominee if he happens to be current President Pranab Mukherjee. Media reports indicate that the Congress-led opposition wants the NDA to persuade Mukherjee to accept a second term. From the BJP's viewpoint, it's an 'atrocious' suggestion since it's in a comfortable position to make its Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates win hands down. At the same time, ace opposition players have roped in Sonia Gandhi to play a central role in galvanizing the scattered and divided opposition to field a common candidate in case the NDA doesn't buy its suggestion for giving Pranab a second term. The political objective behind lionizing Sonia is also to cut down her stature in politics if the opposition's candidate loses the Presidential election. Even as BJP circles are agog with rumors of the possible fielding of Draupadi Murmu, governor of Jharkhand, as NDA's Presidential candidate, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has acceded to the request of opposition leaders and come forward to forge a unity among all opposition parties to field a common candidate. On Wednesday, she met National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and spoke to SP's Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD chief Lalu Prasad on phone for a joint nominee for the top job. Earlier, Nitish Kumar and Sitaram Yechury had met her and pleaded with her to play a central role. So did NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPI's D Raja, and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda. Sources indicate that over the next few days, Sonia may meet TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, BSP supremo Mayawati, and DMK's M K Stalin, TRC's Chandrasekhar, and others to build a consensus on nominees for the presidential and vice-presidential polls. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is said to have spoken to former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and also had discussions with Pawar and Yechury. Sources said Congress is likely to make efforts to reach out to BJD chief Naveen Patnaik for the presidential polls. The party may also reach out to NDA allies Shiv Sena or Akali Dal, sources said. "Our doors and minds are open for we feel that one person cannot decide everything ... and one ideology cannot be thrust upon this country," Cong spokesman Surjewala said. On behalf of opposition parties, Yechury met Naveen Patnaik on Thursday. BJD, which has had a cozy partnership with the Modi government over three years, may prove a difficult customer for the opposition if NDA fields Murmu, who is a tribal from Odisha, as its candidate. The contest is a foregone conclusion in view of BJP having a shortfall of only 18,000 votes in the 11 lakh-plus electoral colleges, with the