Speaking to media, Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray said that his party has chose to support Kovind's candidature and all the lawmakers will vote for him in the upcoming elections.
Sources said Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu spoke to NDA chief ministers and urged them to be present at the time of the filing of nomination by Kovind.
Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday met former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to seek his blessings. Azad's meeting comes ahead of a JD-U meeting on Wednesday on the Presidential election. He communicated with the regional parties seeking their support for the NDA's nominee during the upcoming presidential election,"said Sarma, who heads the Neda, a vital alliance of non-Congress parties of the northeast". The opposition camp is yet to name its candidate for the poll, but former speaker Meira Kumar's meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence today, a day before the meeting, fuelled speculation that she had emerged as the front runner.
The group said in a statement that the decision was taken after a meeting of legislators and MPs chaired by Panneerselvam here.
While Pannerselvam's preference for the NDA's was always on the cards, developments within the national opposition indicated growing support for Kovind ahead of a meeting today to discuss the possibility of fielding a rival candidate.
O'Mahony to captain Lions in 1st test vs. New Zealand
Daly's inclusion on the wing became more likely after his strong performance in the Lions' 34-6 win over the Chiefs on Tuesday. Asked if they could be put under pressure by the players at the Lions' disposal his reply was instant.
The Opposition suffered a major blow with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar extending his support to BJP's candidate yesterday.
However, there were last-minute concerns about the JD (U)'s support for Kovind now that Meira Kumar, who hails from the party's stronghold of Bihar and is the daughter of prominent Dalit leader Babu Jagjivan Ram, has been fielded by the Opposition.
It remains to be seen how the JD-U, BSP and Samajwadi Party, with a total vote value of over 5 per cent, vote.
The Presidential election is scheduled for July 17. The term of President Pranab Mukherjee ends on July 24. The first reaction of senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was: "The BJP made a unilateral decision".
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