Next President of India: Meira Kumar to begin campaign from Sabarmati Ashram

Meira Kumar was accompanied by Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala for her very first press meet after being picked as opposition's candidate for the Presidential election

The opposition parties' pick for the Presidential elections, Meira Kumar will begin her campaign from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home turf, Gujarat. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Kumar said that she will begin her Presidential election campaign from Sabarmati Ashram.

Meira Kumar thanked all 17 opposition parties for unanimously nominating her. "I believe in justice and equality. 17 main opposition parties nominated me unanimously and I am grateful to them," she said speaking to the media at Delhi's Constitution Club.

"Unity of the opposition parties is based on a common ideology. Democratic values, social justice, freedom of the press, end of poverty, destruction of caste structure form the said ideology," she said. While acknowledging the lack of JD(U)'s support, Meira Kumar maintained that it was common in politics.

Speaking on the Dalit v/s Dalit narrative for the elections for the next President of India, Meira Kumar claimed that the election should not be turned into a Dalit fight. While NDA's Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind is on a nation-wide tour, Meira Kumar will begin her campaign from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat. Meira Kumar will file her nomination papers on Wednesday, the last day for filing of nominations.

Leaders of 17 parties including the Congress are supporting her. Opposition leaders including NCP's Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad are expected to be present at the filing of nomination apart from senior leaders of the Congress including Sonia Gandhi.

OneIndia News