'Bihar ke Beti' Meira Kumar ji was only nominated to lose: Nitish Kumar continues to back Ram Nath Kovind

Adhering to his stand on supporting the NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the JD(U) took the decision after considering all aspects and the election for the top office should not be a matter of confrontation.

He said his party had always taken independent decisions, including backing the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee, who was then the UPA's nominee, for the post while being in the NDA.

"Kovind's name was announced first by the ruling party and we do not have any objection to his name. That is why we supported him," he told reporters here.

The JD(U) had yesterday rejected its ally and RJD chief Lalu Prasad's request to reconsider its support to the NDA's presidential pick, saying its stand was based on merit and it would stick it.

"Everyone is independent to put forth views. As far as the 'mahagathbandhan' is concerned, it is not an issue of the alliance. It is a decision to be taken by each party separately," Kumar said.

He said he had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and that he had conveyed to them that it was a matter of pride that Bihar Governor Kovind will become the next president.

Kovind had worked for Bihar without any bias, he said.

"It's an election for the post of the president. It should not become an issue of confrontation," Kumar asserted.

He said the party could have conveyed its view at the opposition meeting yesterday to pick its nominee, but when Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had come to Patna a day earlier he had made clear his stand.

"There should be a strategy for the 2019 general elections. This is not for victory in 2019," the Bihar chief minister said.

"There is no doubt about the result. We have a lot of respect for 'Bihar ki beti' (Meira Kumar). But the question is has the 'Bihar ki beti' been chosen as the opposition candidate, but she will lose," he said.

"You (Congress) had opportunities twice. But, why didn't you chose the 'Bihar ki beti' when she had a chance to win? I believe they should have a re-think," Kumar said, adding, "But you (Congress) have begun with a losing strategy." He said the president's chair was not for a political battle.

"Had there been a consensus, it would have been a good thing, but I do not consider it should be a matter for raising questions," Kumar said.

I have a lot of respect for #MeiraKumar ji, but 'Bihar ki beti' has been nominated only to lose?: CM Nitish Kumar pic.twitter.com/wXDvxYy50S

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 23, 2017

Sab party netaaon se baat-cheet kar ke, soch samajh ke nirnay liya gaya hai: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on #RamNathKovind pic.twitter.com/RxLhQHR7Q2

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 23, 2017

Kovind was the Governor of Bihar before being chosen as the NDA nominee for the July 17 presidential polls billed as a 'dalit versus dalit' contest. But the JD(U) stuck to its decision to support Kovind.
"We are still treading on the path you had suggested to make the country 'Sangh-mukt'...don't know what made Kumar to move away and extend support to a RSS man," Prasad told reporters on his arrival at the JayAprakash Narayan Airport at Patna from New Delhi. 

The CPI also urged Kumar as well as BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik to re-consider their decision to support Kovind.
"We appeal to both the chief ministers of Odisha and Bihar to re-consider their decision and support a secular candidate like Meira Kumar. Above all, both BJD and JD(U) are not part of the BJP-led NDA," CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy told reporters in Bhubaneswar.

Reddy, accompanied by CPI national secretary Dr K Narayanana, said they hope both Patnaik and Kumar will have a rethink before casting their vote in favour of Kovind, whom they described as a "Sangha Parivar member." "We do not know the reasons behind both Patnaik and Kumar supporting the NDA candidate," Reddy said adding, the CPI will contact the BJD and JD(U) before the presidential polls.
Stating that the country needs a secular person to become the President in the backdrop of attacks on dalits and minorities since the NDA government assumed office at the Centre, Reddy said opposition parties have fielded

Meira Kumar keeping her background in consideration.
"She (Meira Kumar) has been the Speaker of Lok Sabha, having knowledge on external affairs matters and above all the daughter of Jagjivan Ram," Reddy pointed out.
He said the BJP's three-member committee had asked the CPI about its suggestion for a Presidential candidate.

"We had suggested the name of Gopalkrishna Gandhi and they (BJP) said about meeting again. But, they announced the name of Ram Nath Kovind without consulting us," Reddy said, criticising the BJP for not going for a consensus candidate for the top post.

Asked why Gandhi was not made a candidate by the opposition for the presidential election, the CPI leader said, "We had just suggested the name of Gandhi. Had the BJP agreed on it, we would have supported him."
According to Left sources, it was also surprising that the names they considered were "not even discussed and proposed" when the Opposition leaders met in Delhi yesterday to decide their joint candidate

Ahead of the meeting, the Left parties had decided to propose Gandhi, who is Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, and B R Ambedkar's grandson Prakash.
They claimed that leaders of the JD(U) -- which had earlier pitched for Opposition unity, but is supporting Kovind's candidature -- are also of the view that a non- Congress contender "would have been better," the sources said.

The sources suggested that fielding a Congress candidate is something that will come in the way of bringing the JD(U) back to the Opposition flock notwithstanding her being from Bihar.
"There is a feeling that some non-Congress contender should have been considered," the sources said.