Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind is NDA's presidential candidate: Amit Shah

Pic Courtesy: Twitter

New Delhi: Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind has been decided as NDA's presidential candidate, Amit Shah announced on Monday.

The final decision on the presidential's nominee was taken today at the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah, including Union Ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar, M Venkaiah Naidu and several top leaders.

BJP's Parliamentary Board is the party's highest decision-making body.

While addressing a press conference in the national capital, Shah announced the decision.

Shah said there has been no discussion yet on names for the vice president post.

The BJP chief said political parties had been informed of the NDA's choice. "I hope all will agree to the name," he said at a press conference. 

About Ram Nath Kovind

Ram Nath Kovind, was born on October 1, 1945 at Kanpur Dehat, Uttar Pradesh.

Career as an Advocate - His Excellency, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, was Central Government Advocate in Delhi High Court from 1977 to 1979 and Central Government Standing Counsel in Supreme Court from 1980 to 1993. He became Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court of India in 1978. Had practiced in Delhi High Court and Supreme Court for about 16 years till 1993. He was enrolled as an Advocate in 1971 with the Bar Council of Delhi.

Career as a Parliamentarian - His Excellency Shri Ram Nath Kovind was elected and became as Rajya Sabha MP in April 1994 from Uttar Pradesh and served for two consecutive terms for 12 years till March, 2006. Shri Kovind served as Member on following important Parliamentary Committees:-

-Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes/Tribes.

-Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs.

-Parliamentary Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas.

-Parliamentary Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment.

-Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice.

-Chairman of Rajya Sabha House Committee.

Ram Nath Kovind is married to Smt Savita Kovind. He has a son Prashant Kumar who is married and a daughter.

The BJP meet was held after a three-member party committee, comprising of Rajnath Singh, Naidu and Arun Jaitley last week met with allies and opposition parties.

The BJP on Sunday had stepped up its efforts to gather support for its unnamed Presidential nominee, with its top leaders talking to allies Shiv Sena and LJP as well as the Trinamool Congress and BJD, even as it disclosed that the NDA candidate will file the nomination before June 24 after the opposition is conveyed its choice.

Bharatiya Janata Party and allied MPs are being called to New Delhi by Tuesday to sign the nomination papers. Each nomination paper has to be signed by at 50 proposers and an equal number of seconders who can also be MLAs.

The National Democratic Alliance's attempt is to file at least three-four sets of nominations of its candidate so that all allies can get to sign.