Page 4 - Presidential Polls

Presidential polls: Opposition leaders meet to discuss strategy

Sources said leaders would discuss probable names but would await a govt initiative in this regard

Opposition calls for grand alliance in UP to defeat BJP

In a show of Opposition unity, around 16 political parties attended a lunch hosted by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to finalise their nominee for the presidential polls in July but finally decided to wait and watch before the ruling BJP names its candidate for the top constitutional post.Speaking on behalf of these parties, Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad and JD-U's Sharad Yadav charged the NDA government of not having reached out to them over the presidential polls as has been the political tradition. If the centre will not initiate the process soon and acceptable candidates do not emerge, the Opposition will put up its nominee who will protect the constitutional values, said Azad.Sonia's unity lunch was significant for two reasons. First, the get-together came ahead of a similar Opposition grouping on June 3 in Chennai to celebrate the 94 th birth anniversary of DMK founder patron M Karunanidhi. Second, the opposition parties got a chance to send out a message on a day the BJP ...

Prez polls: Body to select nominee if Oppn fails on consensus, says Mamata

She said no names were discussed at the lunch-cum-meeting at the Parliament House Library

Presidential polls: Sonia Gandhi begins meet with Opposition leaders

President Pranab Mukherjee will demit office on July 25

Presidential polls: Oppn rides on NDA's silence to scout for joint nominee

Talk of joint candidate gained momentum after Nitish Kumar spoke for Pranab Mukherjee's 2nd term

Presidential polls: BJP-led NDA yet to decide on candidate, says Amit Shah

He also rejected the Shiv Sena's proposal to name RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat as a candidate

Presidential polls: Mamata Banerjee open to Opposition's common nominee

She, however, said that she would be in position to speak more after meeting Sonia Gandhi

BJP CMs to resign as MPs only after presidential poll

BJP is also hopeful of getting support of both the factions of AIADMK, which is in power in TN

Prez Polls: Let's see if our ideology prevails, says Meira Kumar on result

The final result will be declared by 5 pm

Respect 'Bihar ki beti' but this is a losing prez poll strategy: Nitish

The JD(U) rejected RJD chief Lalu Prasad's request to reconsider its support to the NDA's Prez pick

Sena wants Father of Green Revolution M S Swaminathan to be next President

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray conveys his party's choice at his meeting with Amit Shah, Fadnavis

Presidential polls: Green coloured ballot papers for MPs, pink for MLAs

EVMs are not used in these elections as EVMs are formatted for first-past-the post system of voting

Ram Nath Kovind will make an 'exceptional President', says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has backed National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Presidential nominee Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind and has said that with his illustrious background in the legal arena, the latter's knowledge and understanding of the Constitution would benefit the nation.Prime Minister Modi on Monday took to Twitter and, in a series of tweets, said, "Shri Ram Nath Kovind, a farmer's son, comes from a humble background. He devoted his life to public service & worked for poor and marginalised. With his illustrious background in the legal arena, Shri Kovind's knowledge and understanding of the Constitution will benefit the nation. I am sure Shri Ram Nath Kovind will make an exceptional President & continue to be a strong voice for the poor, downtrodden and marginalised."Earlier in the day, the NDA announced Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind as its candidate for the upcoming Presidential polls.The announcement was made in a press briefing by BJP national president Amit ...

Presidential polls: Will ask Nitish to not back Kovind, says Lalu

He also says that there was no threat to the coalition government in Bihar

Presidential polls: Why Opposition has picked Meira Kumar against Kovind

Oppn selected Kumar in a bid to woo back JD(U), ensure that BSP did not break away

Dalit vs Dalit in President poll: Why BJP, Congress need caste for survival

If BJP's nominee believes that Muslims and Christians are aliens, he will set off a controversy

Presidential polls: Ram Nath Kovind to visit UP tomorrow to seek support

A senior Cong leader said the Oppn's presidential pick Meira Kumar might also pay a visit to Lucknow

President must follow Constitution, no question of ideology: Venkaiah Naidu

He was responding to the Opposition's argument that the presidential election is a fight of ideology

Presidential polls: Meira Kumar files nomination

Several key opposition party leaders accompanied their presidential candidate, Meira Kumar, who filed her nomination for the July 17 election described by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as an ideological battle.Kumar is pitted against the ruling National Democratic Alliance's Ram Nath Kovind, till recently the governor of Bihar.Beside Sonia gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Nationalist Congress Party head Sharad Pawar, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, BSP's Satish Chandra Misra, CPI's D Raja and the TMC's Derek O'Brien attended. RJD chief Lalu Prasad was conspicuous by his absence.Though BSP supremo Mayawati did not attend the event, she is one of the several proposers of Meira Kumar. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is abroad, did not turn up for the show of opposition unity but tweeted that he was proud of Kumar's candidature for the top post.Three Congress chief ministers were also present -- Punjab's Amarinder Singh, Puducherry's V Narayanasamy and Karnataka's ...

Ram Nath Kovind for President: BJP expects Opposition votes from UP, Bihar

The poll is scheduled for July 17 and the counting of votes will take place on July 20