Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, sources said on Thursday.

The conversation between Singh and Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena, took place against the backdrop of the July 18 election for President. Singh called Thackeray around 7 pm on Wednesday evening, said an aide to the CM.

The BJP has authorised Singh and party president J P Nadda to hold consultations with other political parties including those in the opposition to evolve consensus on the choice for the top constitutional post.

Earlier, as the Opposition held its first meeting on presidential polls on Wednesday, the ruling BJP reached out to several parties across the political spectrum to build a consensus choice for the top constitutional post with Singh speaking to Sharad Pawar, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav and Naveen Patnaik, sources said on Wednesday.

Singh also talked to BJP ally and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and YSR Congress leader Jagan Reddy.