New Delhi, June 26
Meira Kumar, Opposition’s presidential poll nominee, will file her nomination on June 28. She has already kicked off an informal campaign reaching out to MPs, MLAs and party leaders individually.
She is also likely to make a public statement from the Congress office, which could be scheduled for tomorrow. She has started calling up collegium members and leaders of the 17 Opposition parties that have supported her candidature.
(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)
Meira, in an appeal to members of the electoral college, has asked them to cast a conscience vote, aware of the odds against her. The numbers clearly favour Kovind and Meira’s real challenge is to reduce the victory margin of the BJP nominee and queer the contest pitch that otherwise appears flat.
“This is that moment when one should heed the inner voice of conscience. Let us stand together, in spirit and action, to affirm our pledge to this sacred process and to that guiding voice within us,” she said, following in the footsteps of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had fielded VV Giri against the Congress’ official nominee for the 1969 presidential election and asked everyone to cast a conscience vote.
Meira, meanwhile, has described the battle as ideological, hoping the secular combine and the undecided voters will back her. In her first formal appeal to MPs and MLAs, she spoke of being associated with two monumental struggles—to free India from the colonial rule and fight against the tyranny of caste that still plagues society.
“The nature of these two struggles has deeply influenced my sentiments, my thoughts and my actions. During my life in public service, I have been inspired by the example set by the foundational leaders of our country, regardless of their political affiliations. Despite the differences, I have found that when it comes to preserving values of inclusiveness and the need for social justice, we all share the same goals,” she said introducing herself to the collegium for presidential poll. — TNS
Her appeal
This is that moment when one should heed the inner voice of conscience. Let us stand together, in spirit and action, to affirm our pledge to this sacred process and to that guiding voice within us
Debuts on Twitter
Meira Kumar chose Eid to debut on micro-blogging site Twitter and wished everyone happiness. “Eid Mubarak! Joy, peace and prosperity to all,” she wrote a day after the External Affairs Minister posted on Twitter a video where the former Lok Sabha Speaker is seen as routinely interrupting the speech of Swaraj, the then Leader of Opposition in the House of People