BJP stuns opposition by Ram Nath Kovid master stroke

By Anurag Shukla

Lucknow: The elevation of Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovid as the presidential candidate is a foolproof master stroke by the Bharatiya Janata Party, reason being his Uttar Pradesh connection and also his strong influence over the Dalit community which would surely benefit the saffron brigade in the coming 2019 general elections.

From electing Yogi Adityanath as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lucknow for International Yoga Day and now choosing UPite a top contender for the presidential post, the Bharatiya Janata Party is playing all its cards to woo the vote bank for the upcoming elections.

Kovid as the President of India would also delight the Sangh Pariwar being the first RSS leader to settle in the Rashtrapati Bhavan

The 71-year-old Dalit is not only a polished politician but also was a lawyer who practised in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court for 16 years.

He had served as the Rajya Sabha member from 1994 for two consecutive terms for 12 years till March, 2006.

• Kovid represented India in the United Nations in New York and addressed United Nations General Assembly in October, 2002.
• He has served as a member of several parliamentary committees, including the Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes/Tribes, Parliamentary Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment, among others.
• Kovid served as a member of the Board of Management of Dr. B.R Ambedkar University, Lucknow.
• He was also a member of the Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata.