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Meira Kumar thanks Opposition parties for support, vows to uphold democratic values, end caste structure
Kashmir Times. Dated: 6/28/2017 2:36:14 AM
NEW DELHI, June 27 (Agencies): Opposition's presidential candidate Meira Kumar, who is all set to file her nomination papers on June 28, on Tuesday thanked all 17 political parties for supporting her candidature.
Addressing a press briefing here, Kumar said, “17 Opposition parties have nominated me for which I am grateful. Their unity is based on a common ideology.''
Kumar further stated that she had written to all political parties and sought their valuable support in the crucial presidential election.
Hailing the opposition unity, Kumar said that she will try to uphold the democratic values, ensure social justice, freedom of press, end poverty, dismantle the rigid caste structure if elected president. ''I will go to Sabarmati Ashram and start my campaign from there,'' Meira Kumar said.
When quizzed about Janata Dal United's announcement to support NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind, Kumar said, ''Such things happen in politics, I will decide what to do at the right time.''
Sources in the Congress said the former Lok Sabha Speaker will be accompanied by party chief Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh when she files her papers on Wednesday.
Leaders of 16 other parties who are vouching for Kumar, including National Congress Party's leader 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. Kumar will be contesting National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind who has already filed his nomination papers.
The NDA has a clear edge in the election and Mr Kovind is widely expected to sail through.
Meira Kumar had on Sunday appealed to members of the electoral college to "heed the inner voice of conscience" while casting their vote in the July 17 election and said the President's office "cannot function to serve narrow political interests".
In a statement on Saturday, she stressed that the post of President of India is "not symbolic" and that "capability and experience must always supersede" every other consideration while choosing the person for the post.