NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind will file his nomination papers on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and most BJP-led NDA chief ministers, besides the heads of some other parties supporting his candidature.

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In an earlier piece, Sunil Raman had written for Firstpost: "Modi and BJP president Amit Shah’s strategy to get Dalit-tribal duo in president and vice-president offices is meant to achieve multiple objectives"

He once headed the BJP's Dalit wing. Kovind was made the Governor of Bihar two years ago after the NDA took power in the centre in May 2014.

"Ram Nath comes from a Dalit family and has struggled a lot. We hope he will be the unanimous candidate for the election," Shah said.

If elected, Ram Nath Kovind will be the second Dalit Indian President after KR Narayanan. The earlier names which were doing the rounds for Presidency included External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

If elected, Ram Nath Kovind will be the second Dalit Indian President

Before the announcement, we had hoped for a discussion so that there is no consensus. They informed Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh only after the decision was made. This was a one-sided decision, said Azad. He added that the final decision will be taken by the Opposition after the 22 June meeting.

Azad further said that Congress has always believed that the Opposition will make an unanimous decision on the presidential candidate. Sonia Gandhi was authorised to form a sub-group. In the meantime, the BJP has decided that three senior ministers will talk to the Opposition about the presidential candidate. During the meeting, no mentioned was mentioned.

Congress will not comment on NDA's pick for the presidential candidate, said Ghulam Nabi Azad, after Amit Shah announced Ram Nath Kovind's candidature.

Congress was informed only after the decision was made: Ghulam Nabi Azad

By announcing Kovind's name as NDA presidential candidate, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have yet again reminded that they are a master of surprises, expect the unexpected from them. They have proved that all the media speculations and the so called "informed" private talks among the senior leads and ministers to be wrong after Kovind's name was nowhere on the radar when speculations were rife. Read more here .

Expressing her party's reservation about the candidature of Ram Nath Kovind, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee said that, "The office of President is a key post. Someone of the stature of Pranab Mukherjee or even Sushma Swaraj or (L K) Advaniji may have been made the candidate." Read more here .

Someone of the stature of Pranab Mukherjee or even Sushma Swaraj should have been nominee: Mamata Banerjee

Won’t support BJP’s Presidential candidate if it is for votebank : Uddhav Thackeray "If someone is trying to make a Dalit a President with the purpose of gaining a vote bank then we are not with them," Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said about Ram Nath Kovind, NDA's pick for the 2017 Presidential elections. He then went to add that, "But if it is for the development of the nation then we may support."

If there is an impression that Kovind is selected only to bring Dalits under the BJP fold, it would be far from reality. In fact, Kovind’s selection as the NDA’s presidential candidate is driven by an objective of deepening the Hindutva into those social segments which were inaccessible to the ideologues of Sangh Parivar. Kovind’s selection is certainly a part of a larger political project of consolidating the Hindu identity. Full analysis here .

Ram Nath Kovind's selection as NDA candidate is to deepen the Hindutva agenda

Kumar entered electoral politics in 1985, when she joined Congress. Read more about the Opposition presidential candidate here

"It's a wonderful choice and I wish her all the luck.. I don't think there could've been a better choice than her. Meira Kumar's name has been doing rounds for long time. She is a well known and highly respected figure," senior Congress leader Sheila Dixit tells Times Now

"As a woman I would want to compliment Meira ji but they dont have the numbers. The majority is for Ram Nath Kovind with all the correct prerequisites." Shaina NC tells Times Now

Will meet Nitish Kumar and will continue to urge him to change his decision to support NDA prez candidate Kovind: Lalu Prasad

Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh alleged that Nitish had taken the decision to demean the RJD. He also feared the ruling Mahagathbandhan might not last long in Bihar.

JD(U) did not participate in today's opposition meeting held in Delhi but RJD leader Lalu Yadav was present there. Lalu had made it clear that He would go with what the Congress led opposition will decide.

Not only Bhai Virendra but other RJD leaders have openly ciriticised Nitish Kumar since yesterday when the Bihar CM announced to support Kovind.

"People of Bihar will never forget Nitish Kumar. Now a daughter of Bihar from Dalit background has been named Presidential candidate. Nitish should have waited and thought about it. He has done a big mistake and will pay price for that," he said.

Back in Patna, RJD MLA Bhai Virendra challenged Nitish Kumar to change his decision to support Kovind having RSS background.

Latest salvo from the RJD is set to widen the cracks within the ruling Mahagathbandhan. Other alliance partner Congress has also denounced Nitish' party JD(U) for going with the BJP.

"Nitish had called me and told about his decision. I advised him not to do so but I can't say what happened after that. Now everybody knows what He has done. He himself had pitched for opposition unity and backtracked," Lalu said.

After attending the meeting in Delhi, RJD leader Lalu Prasad said that Nitish had done a historical mistake.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after 17 opposition parties led by Congress announced to pitch Meira Kumar against NDA nominee Ramnath Kovind.

Nitish has done a historical mistake, People of Bihar will never forget him: RJD

Talking to reporters, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said: "There could not have been a better candidate than Meira Kumar for the post of President."

"You cannot look at her (Meira Kumar's) caste. Her credentials are known to the world," DMK leader Kanimozhi tells Times Now

"I had initially said Kovind was connected to RSS and BJP ideologies. I had also said that a non-Dalit would've been a better NDA candidate. After the BJP and NDA's one-sided decision, the opposition parties called for a meeting, Today, UPA and others have unaniomously chose Meira Kumar who comes from a Dalit background, " Mayawati tells at a press conference

UPA nominee for President's post Meira Kumar more capable and popular than NDA candidate: BSP supremo Mayawati.

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) will hold a meeting of its 28 MLAs and two Rajya Sabha MPs to decide which candidate to vote for during the presidential election on 17 July, after some of its members expressed opposition to NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind, due to his RSS background.

Daughter of former deputy prime minister late Jagjivan Ram, Meira Kumar, 72, was the first woman to occupy the high office of the Lok Sabha Speaker between 2009 and 2014 during the UPA-II rule.

The career of Kumar began when she quit her Indian Foreign Service(IFS) job and decided to fight the Lok Sabha polls in 1985, a year before her father’s death.

She holds an MA and LLB degrees alongwith an advanced diploma in Spanish.

From being a foreign service officer to a five-term MP and then a Cabinet minister, Kumar has traversed a long way and a varied course that came in handy to her in running the Lok Sabha that often throws itself into scenes of tumult.

She became an MP for the second time in 1996 and again in 1998 from Delhi’s Karol Bagh constituency but lost her seat in 1999 when NDA returned to power. Kumar was re-elected in 2004 with a huge margin from Sasaram in Bihar, the constituency of her father, and became an MP for the fifth time in 2009.

Meira Kumar was elected to Lok Sabha for the first time from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh in 1985, defeating top Dalit leaders Mayawati and Ram Vilas Paswan.

Kovind will file his nomination papers at 11.45 am.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Friday morning that he will accompany NDA's presidnetial nominee Ram Nath Kovind as he files his nomination papers. According to News18, Kovind will assemble in the Parliament library at 11 am with chief ministers, members of parliament, and members of Legislative Assembly.

The electoral college comprising all elected MPs and MLAs of India would appear to be firmly behind Ram Nath Kovind. NDA, its constituents and allies make up 48.6 percent of the electoral college. This apart, regional parties like AIADMK, BJD, TRS and JD(U) have also decided to back Kovind's candidature as the next president of India, giving him over 60 percent of the electoral college, and that figure could increase further, given that some regional parties are still undecided.

It is expected that the security cover will be with him in the upcoming days and weeks, as he travels the length and breadth of the country to canvass for support.

Ram Nath Kovind has also been accorded Z+ security, and commandos of the NSG and security agencies have also done security audit of Kovind's temporary residence in the capital. "A Z+ and NSG security cover has been given to Ram Nath Kovind," a home ministry spokesperson confirmed.

Ram Nath Kovind files his nomination for President in the presence of Narendra Modi: NDTV

The opposition's presidential candidate Meira Kumar will file her nomination papers on Wednesday, the last date of filing nominations. Apart from prominent Congerss leaders, leaders of 16 other parties supporting her, including NCP's Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad are also expected to be present during the filing of nomination.

The External Affairs Minister on Sunday posted a video of former Kumar, who was the former Lok Sabha speaker, on Twitter which she , "This is how Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar treated the Leader of Opposition." Vadakkan's reponse came in light of the aforementioned tweet.

Congress party criticised External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for targeting the Opposition's presidential nominee Meira Kumar. The Opposition leaders said that Kumar is a credible person, and that is a well known fact. Congress leader Tom Vadakkan said that Swaraj, while holding a responsible office, should refrain from making such comments, Deccan Chronicle reported.

"We should hang our heads in shame, even if there is one incident of violence against Dalits." "Even today in our country, atrocities are being committed on Dalits, the oppressed and weaker sections... my fight is against that," Kumar added.

Meira Kumar described recent attacks on Dalits as "shameful", even as she said that it was unfortunate that the elections to a constitutional post are being reduced to the discussion around the candidates' caste.

In a political comeback, Congress had named Meira the presidential nominee after BJP named Ram Nath Kovind as its presidential pick. While Kovind was the governor of Biihar, Meira hails from the state and is the daughter of a prominent politican Jagjivan Ram. Both Kovind and Meira are Dalits.

However, she had already reached out to each member of the electorate through her letter two days ago in which she made an emotional appeal to their "voice of inner conscience".

As Nitish Kumar, a Congress ally in Bihar, declared his support for the NDA candidate, Meira Kumar said that she had not yet decided on whether to appeal to Bihar Chief Minister to support her nomination.

Haven't yet made up my mind over appealing to JD(U) for support: Meira Kumar

Meira Kumar will file a set of four nomination papers which will be proposed and seconded by leaders of a number of opposition parties. She will file her papers at 11:30 AM in Parliament before the Lok Sabha Secretary General, the returning officer for the 17 July presidential election.

Opposition's presidential nominee and former Lok Sabha speaker Kumar said that she will pay her respects at the Samadhis of Mahatma Gandhi and Jagjivan Ram, her father before she files her nomination papers at 11.30 am.

"These charges are baseless and are being levelled with the intent of tarnishing my image. The government has given the bungalow to a government body and later a government office."

Kumar, however, brushed aside these allegations, adding that due process was followed in the move.

Controversies from her past has come back to haunt Meira Kumar, who will file her nomination papers today. Kumar has been embroiled in a controversy over a government bungalow allotted to her. It is alleged that using her influence as the Lok Sabha speaker, she apparently got it converted into a memorial for her father.

Controversies from the past come back to haunt Oppn presidential candidate

"None had alleged that my style of functioning was biased."

Responding to Union minister Sushma Swaraj's releasing a video of a Lok Sabha speech to indicate how she was treated as leader of opposition, Kumar said leaders of various parties had never criticised her for her style of functioning but appreciated it.

Flanked by major Opposition leaders, including CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and TMC's DereK O' Brian among others.

However, JD(U)'s presence was noticeably missing from the scene, which had pledged support to NDA's candidate Ram Nath Kovind, even before Kumar's candidature was announced.

In yet another bid to underscore Opposition's unity, leaders from various political parties flanked Kumar as she reached Parliament House to file her nomination papers. From Congress President Sonia Gandhi, to All India Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brian, prominent leaders from several opposition parties made appearances alongside Kumar.

BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu filed fourth set of nomination papers on behalf of Kovind to conclude the nomination formalities for the NDA's presidential pick. The Presidential elections, slated for 17 July, will see a race between Opposition's Meira Kumar and Kovind, who has a decided advantage given to the strength of the ruling party in the House.

Asked why Sabarmati, Kumar said, "Everybody knows the significance of Sabarmati in our country. The 'sant' of Sabarmati (Mahatma Gandhi) played an important role in the freedom movement of our country. That's why I am going there."

"I feel I should start my election campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. I will start from there," said Kumar briefing media in New Delhi, a day ahead of filing her nomination papers.

Meira Kumar is likely to launch her campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad in Gujarat after her nomination papers are cleared on Thursday.

Meira Kumar to pick up 'ideological fight' from 30 June in Gujarat

However, Nitish's decision to stand by Kovind has started rumours that the Opposition unity may not be as strong as the Congress would like to portray.

Presidential poll candidate has become a bone of contention between JD(U) and the rest of the opposition parties. While JD(U) declared its support for NDA's Ram Nath Kovind for being Bihar's former governor, Congress fielded Meira Kumar, another Dalit and daughter of prominent leader from the state Jagjivan Ram.

A total of 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs would cast their votes in the presidential election on 17 July. Kovind fielded by the NDA is expected to garner almost 60 percent of votes with the help of support extended by several non-NDA parties such as JD(U), BJD, and both factions of AIADMK.

Even as Meira Kumar's candidature was approved by 17 opposition political parties, the numbers are clearly in favour of Ram Nath Kovind.

Meira Kumar files nomination even as numbers stack up against her

However, JD(U)'s presence was noticeably missing from the scene, which had pledged support to NDA's candidate Ram Nath Kovind, even before Kumar's candidature was announced.

In yet another bid to underscore Opposition's unity, leaders from various political parties flanked Kumar as she reached Parliament House to file her nomination papers. From Congress President Sonia Gandhi, to All India Trinamool Congress' Derek O' Brian, prominent leaders from several opposition parties made appearances alongside Kumar.

BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu filed fourth set of nomination papers on behalf of Kovind to conclude the nomination formalities for the NDA's presidential pick. The Presidential elections, slated for 17 July, will see a race between Opposition's Meira Kumar and Kovind, who has a decided advantage given to the strength of the ruling party in the House.

Meira Kumar entered electoral politics in 1985 when she joined Congress and is a five-time Lok Sabha MP. Kumar, the daughter of prominent Dalit leader Jagjivan Ram, has beaten powerful Dalit leaders like Ram Vilas Paswan and Mayawati to win in Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. She is also the first woman to become the Lok Sabha Speaker. Read more about her family background and political career here.

Asked why Sabarmati, Kumar said, "Everybody knows the significance of Sabarmati in our country. The 'sant' of Sabarmati (Mahatma Gandhi) played an important role in the freedom movement of our country. That's why I am going there."

"I feel I should start my election campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. I will start from there," said Kumar briefing media in New Delhi, a day ahead of filing her nomination papers.

Meira Kumar is likely to launch her campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad in Gujarat after her nomination papers are cleared on Thursday.

Meira Kumar to pick up 'ideological fight' from 30 June in Gujarat

She represents the values that binds us as a nation: Rahul Gandhi on Meira Kumar

However, Nitish's decision to stand by Kovind has started rumours that the Opposition unity may not be as strong as the Congress would like to portray.

Presidential poll candidate has become a bone of contention between JD(U) and the rest of the opposition parties. While JD(U) declared its support for NDA's Ram Nath Kovind for being Bihar's former governor, Congress fielded Meira Kumar, another Dalit and daughter of prominent leader from the state Jagjivan Ram.

Our alliance in Bihar is strong, different views over #PresidentialPoll has nothing to do with the alliance or Govt: KC Tyagi,JDU pic.twitter.com/429bmXaqkn

A total of 4,120 MLAs and 776 MPs would cast their votes in the presidential election on 17 July. Kovind fielded by the NDA is expected to garner almost 60 percent of votes with the help of support extended by several non-NDA parties such as JD(U), BJD, and both factions of AIADMK.

Even as Meira Kumar's candidature was approved by 17 opposition political parties, the numbers are clearly in favour of Ram Nath Kovind.

Meira Kumar files nomination even as numbers stack up against her

NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind will file his nomination papers on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and most BJP-led NDA chief ministers, besides the heads of some other parties supporting his candidature.

Besides the NDA's constituents, which comprise over 48.6 percent of votes in the electoral college that will elect the next president, regional parties such as the AIADMK, BJD, TRS and JD(U) have announced their support to the Dalit leader, making his win an almost foregone conclusion.

BJP President Amit Shah will also be present when Kovind files his papers, as will the Telangana and Tamil Nadu chief ministers, two leaders from non-NDA parties supporting Kovind, sources in the southern parties said.

Kovind is guaranteed to get more than 61 percent of the vote, and the final tally may increase depending on how some still-undecided regional parties vote, BJP source said.

A group of opposition parties had on Thursday announced that former Speaker Meira Kumar, also a Dalit leader, would be their joint candidate against Kovind.

The election is scheduled for 17 July and the counting of votes will take place on 20 July.

The term of president Pranab Mukherjee ends on 24 July.

Once elected, Kovind will be the second Dalit to occupy the highest constitutional office. The first was KR Narayanan, who was in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in 1997-2002.

A low profile Dalit leader who held various organisational positions in the BJP, Kovind, 71, was made the Bihar Governor in 2015 after the NDA came to power in May 2014.

The name of the two-term Rajya Sabha member did not figure among the probable but his nomination by the BJP is now being seen as a "political masterstroke".

He enjoys a clean reputation and has steered clear of any controversy in his over the 26-year-old political career. His Dalit background makes him a sound political choice for the saffron party working overtime to woo Dalits.