The battle for the President’s post is heating up and it is now just like India vs Pakistan cricket match. The Dalit card is played by the opposition names ex-speaker of Lok Sabha Meira Kumar as presidential nominee. We can term this in a typical way, that Meira vs Kovind for Raisina Hills and it appears there will be tough fight for the coveted post. Thus it ended a week long speculation and the unanimously name Meira Kumar, daughter of former deputy prime minister Jagjivan Ram to fight the royal battle. BJP is having a majority and the chances of an upset look rather remote. However Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress and BSP did not attend all party meet, but Congress hope to get maximum support for Meira Kumar’s candidature. BJP pocketed the support of JD (U) Shiv Sena, AIADMK and Akali Dal to press their claim for the ultimate election of their Dalit candidate. Kumar appears to be having the qualification but lacks the charisma of a Dalit leader in Kovind. We can see BJP and Congress locking horns in yet another battle of wits. Now it is a fight between multi-faceted Meira Kumar versus a more popular Bihar Governor Ram Nath Govind on the cards.
Chitra Krishnan
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
