New Delhi: The BJP has chosen Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind as its choice for President of India, said party chief Amit Shah on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh to formally seek the party’s support for Kovind.
The announcement was made after PM Modi met with Shah and other top leaders of his party. Opposition leaders on Monday morning said that the government must name its choice urgently so it can decide whether it will back the ruling coalition’s choice or put up its own candidate.
71-year-old Kovind is a Dalit and has served as Bihar Governor for three years. A former advocate, he had practiced in the Delhi High Court and then the Supreme Court till the early ’90s.
If an election is held, the BJP and its allies are positioned to make their candidate win because regional parties, including some from the south, have promised to back the ruling alliance.
The BJP has assigned three senior ministers – Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu – to consult with allies like the Sena and opposition parties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi departs for the US on Friday so all formalities are likely to be completed before then.
