There are other big Dalit leaders too, says Mamata Banerjee

After the NDA's Presidential candidate was announced, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on her way to Hague, responded with a series of reservations.

"In order to support someone, we must know the person. Presidential candidate should be someone who will be beneficial for the country. Opposition will meet on June 22, then only we can announce our decision," she said.

"I am not saying that Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind is unfit to be the President. I have spoken to two or three other Opposition leaders, they are also surprised. There are other big Dalit leaders in the country. Just because he was the leader of Dalit Morcha of the BJP they have made him the candidate," she said.

Mamata said the office of President was a key post and "someone of the stature of Pranab Mukherjee, or even Sushma Swaraj or Advani ji should have been made the candidate".

Party spokesperson and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O' Brien tweeted his reaction earlier saying, "The name was announced at the BJP Press conference. That's how we got to know. Not even informed. How many of you logged onto Wikipedia today? I did."

Yechury hints at likely contest

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury hinted at opposing the BJP candidate saying only once the President was elected without a contest. "It is a political fight. They said that they wanted to build a consensus. We asked who they have in mind and they could not come up with an answer. Later, they said they would come back with a probable name. Instead, now they have announced their candidate," he said.