Meira's nomination Oppn.'s strategy to divide Dalits: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the Opposition parties named Meira Kumar as their Presidential nominee to "divide and disrespect Dalits."

"Intentions of the opposition are not honest. The Congress and other Opposition parties fielded Meira Kumar's name for the Presidential candidate only after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) named Kovind, a Dalit, as its nominee. The Opposition parties adopted this strategy to divide and disrespect Dalits," Adityanath told media here.

Asserting that the Opposition parties have fielded Meira only to create differences among the Dalits in the country, he questioned as to why the Congress didn't nominate Meira as their Presidential nominee last time.

"Why didn't Congress nominate her last time for the top post? It is a ploy to divide the Dalits otherwise they would have fielded Kumar last time," he added.

He further said that by fielding Kovind as their Presidential candidate, the BJP has proved that it is committed to give respect to all the section of the society.

"It is matter of pride that a person who belongs to a rural background will take over the highest Constitutional post," he said.

Earlier in the day, Kovind filed his nomination papers in the Parliament House in Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accompanied Kovind to file his nomination to be the 15th President of India.

Along with Prime Minister Modi, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, BJP veteran leader L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, BJP chief Amit Shah were also present at Parliament.

Before going in to file his nomination, Kovind along with the BJP top brass and the Prime Minister, linked their arms together and raised them in front of the media, in a display of strength.

The ruling NDA government nominated Bihar Governor Kovind for the position for the post of Indian President while the opposition fielded former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar for the highest post of India.

All 17 political parties unanimously proposed name of Meira for forthcoming Presidential elections.

The decision was taken after the Opposition - Congress and the Communist Party of India (CPI), and other parties - met to discuss the NDA decision on Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

The election for the next President of India is to be held on July 17 as President Pranab Mukherjee will demit the office on July 24.

The counting of the votes will be done on July 20.