He defeated Opposition's Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker, garnering more than 65 per cent of the votes in the Electoral College
Kovind, 71, asserted that protecting the Constitution and maintaining its dignity would be his duty. PIC/PTI
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Ram Nath Kovind, the NDA candidate, was yesterday elected as India's 14th President receiving an overwhelming majority of votes from the country's lawmakers.
Kovind defeated Opposition's Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker, garnering more than 65 per cent of the votes in the Electoral College, the returning officer for the poll announced yesterday.
The 71-year old, who will be the second Dalit to hold the top constitutional position, received 2,930 votes with a value of 7,02,044, returning officer Anoop Mishra said. Kovind will be the first BJP member to be elected president. Kumar, also a Dalit, polled in 1,844 votes with a value of 3,67,314.
BJP members celebrate Kovind’s victory at the party office in Churchgate. PIC/Sureshâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Karkera
'Tireless service'
In his first comments after his election, Kovind, 71, who will be only the second Dalit to occupy the highest constitutional position, asserted that protecting the Constitution and maintaining its dignity would be his duty.
He said he never thought or aspired to be the president but his "tireless service" to his society and country had brought him to this position.
"It is a very emotional moment for me personally. It is raining a lot in Delhi today and it reminds me of days when I would stay in my paternal village. It was a 'kachcha' home of mud walls. The straw roof would not be able to stop water during rains. We all brothers and sisters would huddle around a wall, waiting for the rains to stop," he said.
"There would be so many Ram Nath Kovinds in the country today, getting drenched in rains, doing farm work, labour and sweating it out, so that they can get their evening meals. I want to tell them that this Ram Nath Kovind of Paraunkh village is going to Rashtrapati Bhavan as their representative," the President-elect continued.
Citing a Sanskrit proverb, he said he would assure every citizen of the country that he would work relentlessly to serve the country and make everyone happy.
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