'Extremely delighted' over Kovind's win in Prez polls: Goyal

Union minister Piyush Goyal today said he was "extremely delighted and proud" that NDA candidate Ramnath Kovind emerged victorious in the presidential elections.
Kovind has been an illustrious social worker, political activist, the power and coal minister said, adding the new president-elect will bring high level of righteousness in the work he does.
"I am extremely delighted and proud that the son of soil, a person who understands India, understands villages of India, born in ordinary family, worked his way up the ladder.
"(Kovind)...Worked with two prime ministers... Prime Minister Morarji Desai and when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, he was in the Rajya Sabha. (He) spent 12 years there," Goyal said on the sidelines of a book launch function here.

The minister expressed confidence that Kovind will continue the rich tradition that President Pranab Mukherjee leaves behind and continue to serve the nation.
Kovind defeated the joint opposition candidate Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker, garnering 65.65 per cent of the votes in the Electoral College, the Returning Officer for the poll announced today.

Besides, India Inc too congratulated Kovind on being picked as the next President.
"Kovind's elevation to the highest office is in keeping with the democratic tradition of our country. This is a tribute to our lawmakers in Parliament and state legislatures who have displayed the highest standard of conduct of parliamentary democracy," Ficci President Pankaj Patel said.

"Our heartiest congratulations to H/E Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji on being 14th President of India," Vedanta Resources Chairman Anil Agarwal tweeted.