Prez poll: Opposition meet today, Congress hopes to change JD-U's decision

The Congress on Thursday expressed hope that the Janata Dal-United will extend support to the Opposition's presidential nominee.

JD-U leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday chaired a meeting of party leaders in Patna that decided to support the National Democratic Alliance candidate Ram Nath Kovind for the President's post.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge termed Nitish's support to Kovind 'his personal decision' and said JD-U leader Sharad Yadav in the all-party meeting had come up with the view of deciding on the presidential candidate once the government declares its nominee.

"It might be Nitish Kumar's personal decision. Earlier, when the all-party meeting took place, Sharad Yadav had suggested that we should not decide on the candidate so soon and should wait for the government to come up with its candidate. All the parties' leaders will come today and what steps are to be taken will be decided. Suggestions from all the parties will be heard and then a decision would be taken," Kharge told ANI.

However, another Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad refrained from commenting on the same and said that any discussion on the same would take place post the Opposition's meet.

"Let the Opposition party meet take place and then the decision will be taken," Ahmad told ANI.

The JD-U has been a part of the Opposition's joint initiative on the presidential elections.

The Opposition is against Kovind's name being finalised for the post of president on grounds that they were not consulted prior to the announcement. -- ANI