Ram Nath Kovind: The 14th President of India

By
News Mobile State Bureau
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New Delhi: NDA’s Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind has been elected as the 14th President of India.

Ruling NDA’s Ram Nath Kovind won against Opposition’s nominee Meira Kumar and take oath on July 25. Kovind replaces Pranab Mukherjee, who will demit the office on July 25.

Voting for the post of President took place on July 17.

Here are the live updates:

4:15 pm: And it’s official. Kovind will be the second Dalit President of the country after KR Narayanan.

4:05 pm: Kovind’s lead over Meira Kumar just keeps getting bigger and bigger. He has now received over 7 lakh votes while Kumar lags far behind with over 3.6 lakh votes.

3:55 pm: So we are inching closer and closer to the finish line as the last phase of counting is underway. Kovind has now crossed the half-way mark and is comfortably ahead of Meira Kumar to win the election.

3:50 pm: There are reports of cross-voting coming in from Gujarat although we cannot confirm anything at this point. Kovind may end up getting more votes from Gujarat than was expected due to cross-voting by Congress MLAs. Is Shankarsinh Vaghela becoming a factor?

3:45 pm: People on Twitter have started sending their wishes to Kovind, the next President of the country. As many of you know, the contest had ended before it could even start. With non-NDA parties like the BJD, JD(U), AIADMK, TRS and YSRCP all pledging their support to Kovind, his win was a foregone conclusion. Even opposition leaders like Praful Patel of the NCP admitted that he will be the next President of the country without any serious challenge.

3:30 pm: Prayers are going on at several places for the victory of Ram Nath Kovind. Here are pictures from Kanpur Dehat in Uttar Pradesh.

2:36 pm: Ram Nath Kovind gets 1,389 votes with value of 479585; Meira Kumar gets 576 with value of 20,4594 after counting in Parliament House, 11 states.

2:14 pm: Ram Nath Kovind gets 60,683 votes, Meira Kumar gets 22,941 votes.

2:13 pm: Counting is over in four states.

2:11 pm: I am not upset, why should I be upset? I am a fighter, I fought for the belief and faith of majority of my countrymen and women: Meira Kumar

2:00 pm: The votes are being counted on four separate tables and there will be eight rounds of counting.

1:25 pm: NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind leads by 1 lakh votes.

1:10 pm: People at village of NDA’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind celebrate and offer prayers in anticipation of his win.

12:56 pm: Opposition nominee Meira Kumar has been a five-time Member of Parliament. In 2009, she was elected as the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha, replacing Somnath Chaterjee.

12:40 pm: 71-year-old Ram Nath Kovind is a farmer’s son who has humble origins. The former Bihar Governor has also served two terms as a member of the Rajya Sabha. He is also a trained lawyer who has appeared at the High Court and Supreme Court.

11:55 am: The counting of votes polled in the presidential election is underway. Here is how India picks its President.

11:29 am: A two-time Rajya Sabha MP, former BJP spokesperson and till recently the Bihar governor, Ram Nath Kovind has never been part of the Lutyen’s Delhi until the limelight was thrust upon him when the ruling party announced his name as its Presidential nominee last month. Find out more about Kovind.

11:20 am: “Great belief in ideology I fought for, also believe in the inner voice of conscience. Let’s see how much it prevails,” says Meira Kumar, the Opposition’s presidential nominee.

11:00 am: Counting of votes polled in the presidential election begins.

10:59 am: BJP and Congress leaders before the counting of votes in the Parliament.

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