The opposition has picked former Lok Sabha Speaker and Congress party leader Meira Kumar as its presidential nominee to take on the NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind in next month's presidential polls.
After, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced his support to NDA candidate for the presidential election, Ram Vilas Paswan in his statement to TOI, apprecited his support saying the Bihar CM seems to be uncomfortable sharing the power with Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Nitish was at the residence of Lalu to attend an Iftar party hosted by him. With Congress choosing Meira Kumar, daughter of late Babu Jagjivan Ram a Dalit strongman of Bihar against Kovind, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar finds himself in a tight spot. As compared to NDA's candidate Ram Nath Kovind, Meira Kumar is more widely known among the masses. I will tell him not to make a historical blunder by supporting Kovind. "We think not", he said.
"Won't break alliance." He said the Opposition was fighting an ideological battle with the NDA and not the merits and demerits of a candidate. I would appeal to the collegium to take their decision on the best interest of the country, based on the cherished values and principles and ideologies.
The rival parties pick came just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) named Kovind, a Dalit lawyer, in a move seen as an attempt to woo low-caste voters to broaden its nationwide appeal.
With the announcement of Meira Kumar as opposition candidate it is now certain that India's next president will not be chosen by consensus.
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RJD: Lalu Prasad Yadav's party has clearly shown its support for Kumar.
CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said: "From among Meira Kumar, Bhalchandra Mungekar, Prakash Ambedkar and Shinde, everyone agreed on Meira Kumar's name without any reservation whatsoever".
Another analyst who did not wish to be quoted says announcing Meira Kumar's name before the BJP's decision could have had ensured that Nitish doesn't break ranks.
JD (U)'s ally in Bihar, RJD has, however, backed the idea of fielding an Opposition candidate.
The search for a suitable candidate for the Presidential elections became hard for the Opposition since NDA announced that the centre would be fielding Kovind as their candidate.
Congress said they would once again reach out to the remaining opposition parties to seek their support.
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