Now, JD(U) to support NDA’s presidential pick Ram Nath Kovind

Setting all speculations at rest, an MLA of Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), after coming out of a core committee meeting of the party in Patna on Wednesday, said the party had decided to support National Democratic Alliance’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

“Yes, at the meeting our party decided to support Ram Nath Kovindji as the presidential candidate… he is a good person”, the MLA from Sonbarsa, Ratnesh Sada, told journalists outside 1, Anne Marg, official residence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Besides party MLAs, some senior JD(U) leaders were also present at the meeting.

Mr. Kumar had said he was “personally happy” with the NDA’s choice of Mr. Kovind for the President’s post.

However, his ruling alliance partners in Bihar, the RJD and the Congress have said they would take a decision on the issue after the proposed Opposition parties’ meeting on June 22.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday met Mr. Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad at an Iftar party thrown by the Congress at Sadaquat Ashram, its State headquarters, in Patna.

Mr. Kumar, said sources in the party, did not discuss the presidential candidate issue with Mr. Azad.