Cong MLAs meet to support Meira Kumar’s Presidential candidature

MLAs from Congress met here on Monday to support the candidature of UPA Presidential nominee Meira Kumar, who will file her nomination on Wednesday.

More than 35 of a total 56 Congress MLAs in the state Assembly turned up for the meeting where 20 candidates were required to subscribe her nomination, GPCC president Bharatsinh Solanki said.

Solanki and leader of Opposition in Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela will now go to Delhi on Wednesday with the letter supporting Kumar’s nomination by state party MLAs, they said. The meeting was held at Gandhinagar circuit house with both Solanki and Vaghela present.

Nomination of a Presidential candidate is required to be subscribed by at least 50 electors as proposers and 50 as seconders. “The Congress and allies have supported the candidature of former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, daughter of Dalit leader Jagjivan Ram,” Vaghela said.

The Presidential election is scheduled for July 17 and counting of votes will take place on July 20.

Interestingly, most MLAs who supported Kumar’s candidature are from Vaghela’s camp, including his son Mahendrasinh and Balwantsinh Rajput, among others.

NDA’s Presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind had filed his nomination on June 23. (with agencies)