Presidential elections fight between ideologies, not persons: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday said that the Presidential election is a fight between two different ideologies, and not between two persons.

Talking to ANI, NCP leader Tariq Anwar said, "I believe that this fight is not between two persons but between two ideologies. We will get to see that whether the Gandhian ideology wins or an orthodox ideology wins."

Another NCP leader Majid Memon told ANI that the arithmetic apparently shows that the ruling party is in a comfortable position because they have their own numbers for winning the elections.

"The arithmetic apparently shows that the ruling party is in a comfortable position because they have their own numbers for winning the elections. But, at the same time this has given a political opportunity to the Oppositions to come together. Most important aspect of this development is that the unity and the strength of the Opposition are now obviously visible and this is sending some kind of panic waves to the ruling party," Memon said.

The elected representative of the Parliament and various state assemblies on Monday will vote to elect India's next President.

There are two candidates in the fray for the coveted post- National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Ram Nath Kovind and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Meira Kumar. President Pranab Mukherjee's term is expiring on July 25.

Ram Nath Kovind, former Governor of Bihar, was announced as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA's candidate for the post of President of India by BJP president Amit Shah on June 19 2017. Kovind is a leader and a politician from the BJP. Kovind filed his nomination for the election on June 23, 2017.

Meira Kumar, the former Speaker of Lok Sabha, was announced as the Indian National Congress (INC)-lead opposition's candidate for the post of President of India, after a meeting held on the June 22, 2017.

Both Kovind and Kumar are from the Dalit community and have canvassed hard by visiting states to seek support of legislators.

Though the poll result will be announced on July 20, it is expected that Kovind will emerge as winner as he has also support of non- NDA parties like All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Janata Dal- United (JD-U), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and independents.

UPA candidate Meira Kumar has support of parties like Indian National Congress (INC), The Nationalist Congress Party ( NCP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samajwadi Party ( BSP), Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP), Rashtirya Janata Dal (RJD), All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Revolutionary Socialist Party (R SP), Kerala Congress (M) (KC-M), The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), The Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Communist Party of India (CPI), Jammua and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC).