NEW DELHI: The BJP on Monday said that the Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind is seeking support of all who are part of the electoral college cutting across party lines. Kovind, who is embarking on two days visit to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karanataka, will also be extensively campaigning in the Northeast from July 6-7.
“We have given a very good candidate who has a high credential. A number of non-NDA political outfits, including JD (U), TRS, YSR Congress, AIADMK, INLD, have come out in the open in support of Kovind. We have come across scores of Independent MLAs expressing support for Kovind in the Presidential election. He is seeking support of everyone cutting across party lines,” a senior BJP leader told reporters on Monday during an informal interaction. He added that at least six Independent MPs of the Rajya Sabha have also assured support to Kovind, which includes the likes of Amar Singh, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Subhash Chandra.
“Kovind is travelling to Hyderabad tomorrow for separate meeting with legislators of the TRS and TDP, while he will leave for Vijaywada in the afternoon where he will interact with the legislators of TDP and YSR Congress. On the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana part of his travel, Kovind will be accompanied by Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, BJP national general secretary Muralidhar Rao,” said the BJP leader, who added that the Presidential nominee will visit Bengaluru on July 5.
Kovind will extensively campaign in the Northeast where the BJP is hoping to cut through the Congress base to give a leg up to the winning margin of the Presidential nominee. “Kovind will head to Arunachal Pradesh from Guwahati on July 6. In Guwahati, he will hold extensive interactions with legislators from neighbouring states, while afterwards he will visit Nagaland and Manipur. The NDA convenor for the Northeast and Assam minister Hemanta Bisse Sharma is looking after Kovind’s campaign in the Northeast,” said the BJP leader.
A day before the Presidential election, Kovind will meet members of the Parliament on July 16 in the national capital.
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