Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 25: As part of BJP’s Presidential nominee’s programme to tour different States for campaigning and meet the legislators who are part of Presidential Electoral College , party nominee Ram Nath Kovind is visiting, Srinagar, the summer capital of the State on June 28.
The Presidential nominee will be accompanied by Union Housing and Urban Development Minister, Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh and BJP national general secretary, Ram Madhav, party sources said.
The BJP’s Presidential nominee has started his campaigning from Lucknow in UP from today. On his arrival at Srinagar, Ram Nath Kovind is scheduled to drive straightway to the residence of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti where besides Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh legislators of PDP,BJP, Peoples Conference (PC) and other allies are likely to be present, sources said, adding on the occasion interaction among senior leaders and legislators will be held about various aspects of Presidential election, voting procedures etc.
Sources said the Legislators are likely to be addressed by senior leaders including Naidu and Mehbooba Mufti and they will also formally introduce the Presidential nominee to legislators of BJP, PDP, PC and other allies. Kovind is also likely to address the legislators and interact with them, sources added.
It may be recalled that the J&K has total 87 MLAs having 6264 votes with each MLA having 72 votes. Out of them NDA has 55 legislators, PDP 27 and others five. The value of MLA’s vote is calculated through a formula depending on the population of the State.
The voting for Presidential elections will be held on July 17 and the result will be declared on July 20 five days earlier when the term of incumbent President Pranab Mukherjee comes to an end. Kovind had filed his nomination papers for the post of President on June 23 and his nomination papers were proposed by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
The Electoral College for Presidential election comprised of all MPs and legislators of the States. The current strength of the Electoral College is 776 MPs and 4120 Legislators forming 1098,882 votes. The half way mark to victory for the post of President is 54,9,442 votes, sources added.
While the MPs will cast their vote in Parliament on July 17, the MLAs will cast their vote in the respective States.
However, sources said, that the balance is tilted in favour of BJP nominee Kovind as BJP allies Akali Dal, AIADMK, Telgu Desam Party (TDP), LJP, PDP, Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) and other parties have already declared their support to BJP nominee. Besides the JDU leader and Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar has also pledged his support to Kovind, sources added.
Sources said the BSP chief Mayawati has kept her cards close to her chest but she too may support the BJP nominee.
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