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Opposition divided over Kovind's candidature for President post; Nitish, Mayawati give 'indication' on supporting him

The Opposition Looks To Be Divided After NDA’s Announcement To Make Ram Nath Kovind As Candidate For Presidential Poll. Ahead Of The Opposition Meet Scheduled On 22nd June, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar And BSP Supremo Mayawati Have Given Positive Signals For Ram Nath’s Candidature.

News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Ashish Ranjan | Updated on: 20 Jun 2017, 12:32:01 PM
Ram Nath Kovind (File photo)

New Delhi:

The Opposition looks to be divided after NDA’s announcement to make Ram Nath Kovind as candidate for Presidential poll. Ahead of the Opposition meet scheduled on 22nd June, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and BSP supremo Mayawati have given positive signals for Ram Nath’s candidature.

However, Congress, Left parties and TMC can mull introducing their own candidate against Ram Nath Kovind.

After NDA’s declaration to make Ram Nath as President candidate, Nitish Kumar met him. After meeting Ram Nath, Nitish said that he is happy because a governor from Bihar has been nominated as President candidate. But, he refused to comment about his support to Ram Nath for President post.

Nitish said that it would be too early to comment on support to Ram Nath because discussion among Opposition leaders is yet to be held. He said that he has already informed about his feelings to RJD supremo Lalu Yadav and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

On the other hand, Mayawati said in Lucknow that BSP cannot be negative about a Dalit candidate for President post. Mayawati said that if Opposition does not field any Dalit candidate then she will be supporting Ram Nath Kovind.

It is being considered that Opposition may also field Dalit candidate against Ram Nath Kovind. After the NDA’s announcement to make Ram Nath as President candidate, Congress said that it will take time to decide on it as BJP had not made any consensus before announcing President’s candidate.

Opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said that it is true that government had informed Sonia Gandhi but they had already decided name by then and we were not expecting it.

"After independence, biggest law made was for Dalits. We made a Dalit president 15 years ago, this is not first time" said Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Congress has yet not revealed its stand on Ram Nath’s candidature. It is being considered that they will decide over it in the meeting that is scheduled to happen on Thursday. 

General Secretary of CPM Sitaram Yechury told a newspaper that except for Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, elections have always been held for President post. He added that they were not against APJ Abdul Kalam but they made Capt Laxmi Sehgal as President candidate. He said that as this is a political election, Opposition should field their own candidate. Yachury said that Opposition meet is scheduled on 22nd and we will put forward name of our candidate.

General Secretary of CPI D Raja is also in favour of fielding Opposition’s candidate. 

Also read: Presidential poll: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik backs NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind

Also read: President poll: 10 interesting facts about Ram Nath Kovind's life and political journey

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First Published : 20 Jun 2017, 10:56:00 AM

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