- NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind met SAD-BJP MLAs and MPs in Chandigarh on 29 June
- He met J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday afternoon
- Kovind kickstarted his nationwide tour on Sunday
- He met with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other lawmakers in Lucknow to seek support
- Kovind was accompanied by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, BJP national general secretary Bhupender Yadav
INLD Announces Support For Kovind After His With Meet SAD-BJP MLAs
Haryana's main opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Thursday announced its support for NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.
"We will support Kovind," INLD general secretary and MLA Abhay Chautala announced after a party meeting in Chandigarh.
Kovind arrived in Chandigarh on Thursday to meet MLAs and MPs of Haryana and Punjab BJP and those of its ally SAD as part of his campaign for the 17 17 election.
Kovind, who was accompanied by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and senior BJP leader Anil Jain, was given a rousing welcome at the airport by NDA leaders from the twin states.
71-year-old Kovind held separate meetings with Punjab SAD-BJP MLAs and MPs and later with the BJP parliamentarians of Haryana at Panchkula, Haryana, said Kamal Sharma- former Punjab BJP president.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and other senior leaders of the Akali Dal were also be present at the meeting along with BJP legislators and parliamentarians from the state.
It's Kovind Versus Kumar; 90 Others Shown the Door
NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind and opposition candidate Meira Kumar are the only two people in the race for the president's post, with the nomination of over 90 hopefuls being rejected on Thursday on the day of scrutiny.
As was expected, former Bihar Kovind will face former Lok Sabha Speaker Kumar in the 17 July election. And, again as expected, the motley crowd that eyed the top constitutional post, from a tattooed man to a compulsive election contestant, were all shown the door.
Among the would-be contenders were K Padmarajan, who called himself the "Election King" because he had taken part, unsuccessfully, though, in over 150 polls.
There was also a self proclaimed record holder, who described himself as "Ripley's Guinness Rishi", claiming that he had a record number of tattoos on his body.
Kovind to meet SAD-BJP MLAs, MPs in Chandigarh
Ram Nath Kovind will meet MLAs and MPs of the Haryana and Punjab BJP and those of its ally SAD as part of his campaign for the 17 July election.
Kovind will arrive in Chandigarh on Thursday morning, Punjab BJP Secretary, Vineet Joshi said on Wednesday.
He said Kovind will hold a two-hour meeting with the legislators and parliamentarians at Panchkula, Haryana.
According to state unit chief of INLD, Ashok Arora, the party will take a decision on Thursday on whom to extend support to in the presidential election.
The party, at a meeting held recently, had left it to party president and former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala on whether to extend support to Kovind or opposition candidate Meira Kumar.
Among the Lok Sabha MPs in Haryana, the ruling BJP has seven members, the INLD two and Congress has one while the BJP has only one member among the five Rajya Sabha MPs. Media baron Subhash Chandra was last year elected with the BJP's support.
The Congress has two Rajya Sabha members and the INLD has one in Haryana.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and BJP's general secretary Anil Jain will be among the leaders who will be with Kovind.
Kovind Meets Mehbooba Mufti
On Wednesday afternoon, Kovind met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, MPs, MLAs and MLCs of the J&K Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reported ANI. Kovind reached Srinagar along with Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, among others to canvass for the support of the state’s MLAs and MPs, reported Republic TV.
Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Dr Jitendra Singh tweeted: