If elected as President, will uphold Constitution, ensure justice: Kovind

NDA Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind on Friday promised to do justice to each citizen and region of the country if elected as the 14th President of India.

"Since I became the Governor of Bihar, I continued to discharge my constitutional assignment in a very non-partisan manner. Without any discrimination and wherever. I go I say that if elected as the next President, I will do justice to each citizen, each region and each state.

"We all know that the Constitution of India is supreme as far the governance is concerned. Therefore, I would say it is sacred duty not only of the President but of every citizen to upkeep and maintained the supremacy of the Constitution," he said at a get-together with Meghalaya legislators.

United Democratic Party president Donkupar Roy, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the the Assembly and National People's Party Chief Conrad K. Sangma along with their party legislators attended the meeting.

Kovind, who was accompanied by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and BJP leader Ram Madhav, also sought to assure that there will be no discrimination on the "basis of caste, creed, region, religion, sex or geographical location".

The NPP, an ally of the BJP, has declared it would support Kovind, while Roy has hinted that the UDP would support his candidature.

The NPP has two legislators in the 60-member House assembly, while the UDP has eight.

The opposition Hill State Democratic People's Party (HSPDP), which has four legislators, on Thursday decided to abstain from voting in the presidential poll.

"We have decided to abstain from voting in this presidential election against the anti-minority stand of the NDA's presidential candidate. We will not vote either for Meira Kumar as the Congress has failed to govern the country for several decades," HSPDP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit told IANS.

While the ruling Meghalaya United Alliance has 44 members including 11 Independents, two other Independents are in the opposition.

--IANS

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