NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind today sought to reach out to the Opposition by asserting that the President’s office was above party politics and that he did not belong to a party.

“Since I became the governor I do not belong to any political party,” the 71-year-old former head of the BJP’s Dalit Morcha — almost certain to be the next President — said after filing his nomination here for the post.

Kovind was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief ministers of NDA-ruled states as well as of Telangana and Tamil Nadu, union ministers and other senior leaders of the ruling bloc.

“It is my belief that the post of the President is above party politics and I will strive to keep it so,” he said in a brief address to the media.

The former Rajya Sabha MP said he would do “everything possible” to maintain the dignity of the highest office.

“I appeal to all members of the electoral college for support,” Kovind said.

He named several former presidents to cite the “great traditions” of the office and stressed the Constitution was supreme in the country.

“That its supremacy is maintained is very important,” he added.

Underlining his agenda, he said he would work for the country’s “all-round development, fulfilment of youths’ aspirations and encouragement to modern education".

“I will strive to see to it that the dream to build a new India which is developing continuously when we celebrate 75 years of independence in 2022 is fulfilled,” he said, reading out from a prepared text.

In a reference to the country’s security, he noted that the president was the supreme commander of the armed forces.

“The security of our country’s borders should be our top priority,” he said.

India is the “largest and greatest” democracy, he said as he thanked parties that had supported his candidature.

With more than 60 per cent of the members of the President’s electoral college backing Kovind, his election as the next President is virtually certain. Opposition parties have fielded Meira Kumar, also a Dalit leader, against him.

Reaching out to Opposition parties, NDA’s presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind today said the post of president is above party politics and he will strive to maintain its dignity.

The 71-year-old said after filing his nomination papers that he had ceased to belong to any political party after he became Governor of Bihar in 2015.

“Ever since I became Governor, I don’t belong to any political party. The post of president is above party politics. I am thankful to everybody for their support,” he told presspersons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a battery of NDA chief ministers and party leaders accompanied Kovind, as he filed his papers for the July 17 presidential election in which his victory appears to be almost certain.

“I will do my best to maintain the dignity of the high office of the President,” he said.

Referring to national security, Kovind said, “The President is also the supreme commander of all three forces. It is our responsibility to keep our border secure.”

BJP president Amit Shah and party veterans L. K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were present on the occasion, as were all chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and its allies, except Manohar Parrikar of Goa and Mehbooba Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami also attended the event.

Besides NDA constituents, which comprise over 48.6 per cent of votes in the electoral college that will elect the next president, regional parties such as the AIADMK, BJD, TRS and JD(U) have also announced their support to the Dalit leader, making his win a foregone conclusion unless there’s a drastic change in the situation.

With the support of these parties, Kovind is set to get more than 61 per cent of votes in the electoral college.

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