Meira Kumar terms presidential contest as "ideological war"

Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar today described her contest in the election as an "ideological war" and appealed to all legislators across India to support her candidature.

"The 17 opposition parties unanimously made me their presidential candidate. They believe that I should be at the centre of the ideological war," Kumar told a press conference here.

The opposition parties followed different political ideologies in their respective states, but they all trusted her, Kumar added.

"I appeal to all political parties to listen to their inner voices and support me. It is a tough fight to keep the country intact, to keep the respect of the Constitution and to keep the respect for all communities," Kumar said.
 

The former Lok Sabha Speaker, who met opposition legislators of all Northeastern states here, said that the post of President was not a mere symbolic post but is the top most authority of the country.

"Yes, as per the Constitution, the President works on the advice of the Council of Ministers. But the President's moral authority is very strong. Nobody has that authority. He also keeps a watch on every development," she added.

Asked about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's decision to support the NDA candidate, the senior Dalit Congress leader said such things happen in politics and there is nothing new in it.

In Shillong, Meghalaya Opposition party the United Democratic Party today announced tat its leaders would attend NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Govind's address, hours after they attended Congress' nominee Meira Kumar's address here.

UDP president Donkupar Roy, who led his party leaders to the address of Kumar, had sparked speculation that his party would support the Congress nominee, which he refuted.

"We are also going to meet the NDA nominee Ram Nath Govind during his campaign in the state," Roy told reporters

Refuting Kumar's claim that the presidential election is a battle of ideology, Roy said, "There is no problem of ideology in the country except for sporadic incidents of 'gau rakshak' (activisms).