India holds presidential election

By APD Writer Rishika Chauhan

NEW DELHI, July 17 (APD) - The ruling alliance, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition parties have nominated their candidates as India holds its presidential election to choose its 14th president.

Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar (L), and Ram Nath Kovind, nominated presidential candidate of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (R).

While the NDA has forwarded the name of Ram Nath Kovind, the governor of the province of Bihar, the opposition led by Congress party has selected Meira Kumar, the former speaker of the Indian parliament’s lower house, Lok Sabha as their presidential candidate.

NDA’s candidate is expected to win the election as the alliance has majority. Addressing the parliament ahead of the election, Prime Minister Modi said, “All the political parties need to be congratulated. There was lack of bitterness in the poll campaign, which is a sign of maturity in the Indian democracy.”

Supporting her candidate, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that the members should cast “conscience votes” against a “narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision”.

Calling the election, a battle of ideologies, she added, “We cannot – and must not – let India be held hostage by those who wish to impose upon it a narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision. We must stand more aware than ever of who we are, what we fought for in our independence struggle, and what future we want for ourselves.”

However, Ananth Kumar, the parliamentary affairs minister said that Ram Nath Kovind would win the election as 40 political parties, were supporting him.

Presidential election electoral college consists of the members of provincial legislature and the parliament. The votes will be counted on 20 July 2017.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)