BJP-led NDA government announces Presidential Election nominee

New Delhi: The National Democratic Alliance government led by BJP has decided Ram Nath Kovind as its candidate for the 2017 Presidential Elections.

The decision regarding this was taken at the Parliamentary Board's meeting , on Monday, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The PM and (BJP) President Amit Shah were present at the party office on Ashoka Road in New Delhi area for the meeting. Shah also briefed the media about the decision.

Ram Nath Kovind may file his nomination for president on June 23, said Amit Shah.

Kovind is presently serving as the Governor of Bihar. He was elected to Rajya Sabha from state of Uttar Pradesh during the two terms of 1994-2000 and 2000-2006. He is an advocate by profession and practices in Delhi.

Besides Modi and Shah, Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar, M. Venkaiah Naidu and several top leaders were also present at the party office for the meeting of the party's highest decision-making body.

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This three-member committee was constituted by Shah last week and it comprised senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Rajnath Singh, M. Venkaiah Naidu and Arun Jaitley.

Shah had on Sunday met the BJP's sulking ally Shiv Sena's President Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya Thackerey in Mumbai to ensure the Sena's crucial support in the presidential poll.

It could be recalled that earlier, last week, Rajnath Singh and Naidu met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury to evolve consensus on the candidate for Presidency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, himself had met the Congress President for the discussion over the name of Presidential nominee.

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Meanwhile, Naidu on Sunday held discussions with Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party. He also met Samajwadi Party leaders Ram Gopal Yadav and Naresh Agrawal.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had spoke to leaders of the Trinamool Congress and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

What Amit Shah said:

• We have discussed this with Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and other opposition leaders and have conveyed our choice to them.
• By and large all NDA parties have agreed to Ram Nath Kovind's name for Presidential poll.
• There has been no discussion yet on names for Vice President yet.

About Ram Nath Kovind:

• He has served as the former President of the BJP Dalit Morcha (1998-2002) and President of the All-India Koli Samaj.
• He also served as national spokesperson of the party.
• Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, on he was appointed as the Governor of Bihar by the then President of India Pranab Mukherjee on August 8, 2015 .