AMN
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has been choosen as opposition candidate for Presidential elections. Announcement in this regard was made by Congress President Sonia Gandhi after the meeting of opposition parties in New Delhi on Thursday evening.
A five-time MP, Ms Kumar is a former IFS Officer and daughter of Congress veteran Babu Jagjivan Ram.
The meeting was attended by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Sitaram Yechury of CPI(M), RJD Chief Lalu Prasad, Sharad Pawar of NCP, SP leader Ramgopal Yadav, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra, DMK leader Kanimozhi among others.
Congress Ghulam Nabi Azad told media that all the 17 opposition parties unanimously decided to field Meira Kumar against NDA’s Ram Nath Kovind.
On the other hand, NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind is set to file his nomination papers at 11.30 AM on Friday Chief Ministers of BJP ruled states, senior leaders of NDA and others will be present on the occasion.
Meanwhile BJP expressed confidence that NDA’s nominee Ram Nath Kovind will emerge victorious in the Presidential election as some opposition parties have already announced their support for him. Reacting to opposition decision to field Meira Kumar, party spokesperson Nalin Kohli told AIR, it would be wrong to say that she is a joint candidate of all the opposition as JD(U) and BJD have already extended their support to Mr Kovind. He said, opposition’s decision is merely an anti-BJP strategy.