Cracks in Opposition as support grows for BJP's presidential pick Ram Nath Kovind; all eyes on 17-party meet on Thursday

New Delhi: Unfazed by Janata Dal (United's) decision to back NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, major opposition parties will meet on Thursday amid indications that former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar could be their nominee for the country's highest constitutional post.

Meira Kumar reportedly met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence in evening amid intense speculation that she could be the Opposition's top choice against Ram Nath Kovind. 

Like Kovind, Meira Kumar belongs to the Dalit community. She was the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha and also served as a Union Minister. 

In a related development, Tamil Nadu's AIADMK also extended its support to NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind with state Chief Minister Edapaddi Palaniswami saying that he will support his candidature. 

"Have decided to support NDA’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind," CM Palaniswami told news agency ANI. 

Ahead of the crucial meeting, Communist Party of India leader D Raja said that JD(U) was one of the opposition parties which had come together to field a common candidate in the presidential polls and its parting ways will not have any bearing on the stance of other parties. 

"It is one party. We are 17 parties who came together on the issue. (Bihar Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar has taken such a position, it is for him. It does not mean all others follow Nitish Kumar," Raja said. 

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had taken the initiative to talk to opposition parties to evolve a consensus candidate in the presidential election. Nitish Kumar was among the leaders who met her and several top JD(U) leaders took part in all meetings of the grouping.

JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav was also a member of the sub-committee formed by opposition parties to decide on the presidential candidate. 

The Left parties are keen to put up a strong candidate against Kovind in what they call an "ideological battle".

Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury today said that there would be a "strong candidate" against Kovind. 

"The question is of a political battle - whether the basics of our Constitution would be protected or RSS would convert the country into a 'Hindu Rashtra' (nation)," Yechury said.

It remains to be seen if BSP, which has also said that it cannot oppose a Dalit candidate unless the opposition has a more popular Dalit nominee, attends the opposition meeting.

For the record, the Congress said the question whether they would be putting up a candidate against Kovind will be known only after Thursday's meeting.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, whose father Mulayam Singh Yadav is toeing a different line, said that his party would go with the opposition led by Congress.

"There should be no talk about whether a Dalit should be there (be a President)... caste or religion. Whoever would be the protector of the Constitution should be above caste and religion," he said adding that his party would attend the opposition's meeting on Thursday.

The other name doing the rounds as possible opposition candidates is of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who also belong to the Dalit community. 

The BJP-led NDA, at the moment, appears to have the requisite number with parties outside the alliance like AIADMK, JD(U), PDP, BJD and YRS Congress extending their support to the saffron party's pick as the president.

The NDA, including Shiv Sena and the PDP of Jammu and Kashmir, which has extended support to Kovind, commands the support of 48.93 percent in the electoral college made up of MPs and MLAs. 

With the backing of parties outside the alliance like TRS (2 per cent), AIADMK (5.39 per cent), YSR Congress (1.53 per cent) and BJD (2.99 per cent), the NDA's support would cross the half way mark comfortably to reach nearly 63 per cent in the July 17 battle, with JD(U) contributing 1.91 percent.

With IANS inputs