Presidential poll 2017 | Meira Kumar: Facts to know about opposition's candidate

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday announced Meira Kumar as UPA's candidate for Presidential poll 2017. A crucial meeting of opposition parties held on Thursday in Delhi which was attended by leaders of 17 parties.

Here is all you need to know about Meira Kumar: 

 # Meira Kumar is the daughter of former Prime Minister and prominent Dalit leader, Jagjivan Ram, and freedom fighter Indrani Devi.

# Meira Kumar has been Member of Parliament for five times.

# She is the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha. She served as the speaker of the Lower House from 2004-2009.

# Meira Kumar served as a Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Social  Justice and Empowerment of Manmohan Singh led ongress  Government from 2004-2009.

# She has been elected earlier to the 8th, 11th, 12th and 14th Lok Sabha. 

# She was elected from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. At that time she defeated Ram Vilas Paswan and Mayawati.

# Meira Kumar joined Indian Foreign Service in the year 1970.

# She is another Dalit leader from Akola in Maharashtra. 

# She lost her seat in the BJP wave of 1999, but she was re-elected with majority rom her father's former constituency of Sasaram in Bihar in 2004 and 2009.

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