Days after NDA announced Ram Nath Govind as its presidential candidate, UPA has decided to make Meira Kumar as the opposition candidate for the post of President. Name of B.R Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar was also being considered by the opposition for its Presidential candidate, however, it picked former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. The decision of which was taken at a meeting on Thursday.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi announced the name of Meira Kumar for the presidential election. Meira Kumar is the daughter of a Dalit leader and former deputy prime minister late Jagjivan Ram. She was born in Arrah district in Bihar. In the year 1973, Kumar joined the Indian Foreign Service and after serving at the embassies in the United Kingdom, Mauritius and Spain. Meira Kumar quit IFS and joined politics.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in the opposition meet said, “All 17 political parties have unanimously proposed the name of Meira Kumar for forthcoming Presidential Election”.
A five-time MP, she was elected as the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha and served from 2009 to 2014. Prior to being a member of the 15th Lok Sabha, she has been elected earlier to the 8th, 11th, 12th and 14th Lok Sabha. She served as a Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of Manmohan Singh’s Congress-led Government (2004–2009).
We appeal to all other opposition parties to support us: Congress President Sonia Gandhi #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/whPWlD17HW
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 22, 2017
Earlier, Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar has announced the decision to support rival BJP’s candidate Ram Nath Kovind for the post of President
Nitishji called me, said that it is his personal decision. I would appeal to him to rethink. Won’t break alliance: Lalu P Yadav #MeiraKumar pic.twitter.com/ifM5KseARq
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 22, 2017
The Both Ram Nath Kovind, who is NDA’s candidate for the Presidential post and Meira Kumar have many things in common. They were born in the same year (1945) both are trained lawyers and Dalits.
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