Mayawati's slight opposition due to Kovind's association with RSS: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday said Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati's slight opposition to Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind's nomination as presidential candidate is due to his affiliation with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Reacting to Mayawati's "Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should have selected a name from a non-political background which will be better" remark, NCP leader Majeed Memon said the former cannot openly oppose a Dalit candidate so she went the other way.

"Since Mayawati has to take care of her Dalit vote bank, she cannot openly oppose a Dalit candidate. So, she has just gone the other way by saying that a Dalit is welcomed, but not a Dalit from a particular political ideology which of course is now being hinted at the RSS. So, she is opposing because this candidate happens to be a RSS man," Memon told ANI.

While on the other hand, refraining from commenting on Mayawati' remark, JD (U) leader Neeraj Kumar said they only hope that the election of the first citizen of India (President) should take place without any controversy popping up.

"We hope and want that the election of the first citizen of India (President) should take place without any controversy erupting," Kumar told ANI.

Despite expressing her support for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Presidential nominee Kovind, Mayawati yesterday said the Centre should have taken all Opposition parties in 'good faith' before announcing the name.

Further giving her opinion over Presidential Elections, Mayawati stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should have selected a name from a non-political background which would have been better.

"My small advice towards this is- it could have been better if the BJP would have selected a name from a non-political background," Mayawati added.