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Presidential polls: Meira Kumar or Ram Nath Kovind? Lawmakers to decide fate today

| | Jul 17, 2017, at 03:58 pm
New Delhi, Jul 17 (IBNS): As polling starts from 10 am on Monday, 776 MPs and 4120 MLAs will cast their vote in a secret ballot to choose India's next President.

According to experts, BJP-backed candidate Ram Nath Kovind is likely to sweep the poll with a 70 percent majority.

The former Bihar Governor, who also enjoys the backing of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is contesting the poll against Meira Kumar, former and the first female Lok Shabha speaker.

Kumar, who on Sunday visited the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to seek his support, has termed the election as an "ideological battle".

Throwing her weight behind Kumar, Congress matron Sonia Gandhi urged lawmakers to vote wisely, describing it as "a clash of ideas and a conflict of disparate values."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters to not waste their vote.

He said, "Every party has respected the dignity of the election. This is the maturity of our democracy. Now, we have to make sure no vote goes to waste."

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