Kanpur, June 19
Neighbours of Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind in Kanpur on Monday loudly celebrated his being named as the NDA's candidate for President of India.
Kovind's has a modest house - 42, mini HIG at Maharishi Dayanand Vihar here.
The house of the Dalit leader is being looked after by a caretaker as his family is in Raj Bhavan, Patna.
Neigbours were mobbed by television channels as soon as they came out on the streets to rejoice Kovind's candidature.
They voiced happiness that "one of their own was set to walk into the Rashtrapati Bhavan soon".
Ruchi, daughter of the caretaker's family at Kovind's residence, told reporters they were very happy to hear the news.
"We meet him whenever he comes here after he became Governor of Bihar three years back. He is a very down to earth and simple man," she said, smiling ear to ear.
Another neighbour Bhaskar too expressed his happiness at the development and for Kanpur's sake.
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday called the nomination of Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind as the NDA candidate for President's post as "historic" and appealed to all political parties to support his candidature.
"The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) supports Kovind's candidature. Kovind is a Dalit. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has taken a historic decision. All parties should rise above political considerations and support Kovind," Paswan tweeted.
Paswan is the President of LJP, a constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance.
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday called the nomination of Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind as the NDA candidate for President's post as "historic" and appealed to all political parties to support his candidature.
"The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) supports Kovind's candidature. Kovind is a Dalit. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has taken a historic decision. All parties should rise above political considerations and support Kovind," Paswan tweeted.
Paswan is the President of LJP, a constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance.
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday called the nomination of Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind as the NDA candidate for President's post as "historic" and appealed to all political parties to support his candidature.
"The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) supports Kovind's candidature. Kovind is a Dalit. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has taken a historic decision. All parties should rise above political considerations and support Kovind," Paswan tweeted.
Paswan is the President of LJP, a constituent of the ruling National Democratic Alliance.
Not against Kovind's nomination: Mayawati
Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday said her party will not oppose Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind's candidature as presidential nominee unless the opposition announces a popular Dalit name.
"We are not against Ram Nath Kovind's nomination. It would have been better if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had taken all opposition parties into confidence before announcing the name.
"As he is a Dalit, we can't oppose his name, but only if the united opposition doesn't announce a popular Dalit name," said Mayawati.
"We are also of the opinion that it would have been better if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had named some non-political Dalit person for the post of President," she added.
The BJP on Monday named Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit and a BJP leader, as the ruling NDA's candidate for the July 17 presidential election.
