Presidential poll 2017: Meira Kumar files her nomination in presence of Sonia Gandhi, other Opposition leaders

Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar on Wednesday filed her nomination in the presence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and a number of opposition leaders. June 28 is the last date for filing of nominations for presidential poll.

According to sources, Kumar filed a set of four nomination papers which were proposed and seconded by leaders of a number of opposition parties. She filed her papers in Parliament before the Lok Sabha Secretary General, the returning officer for the July 17 presidential election.

Here are the updates:

#12:40 PM

This is a war of ideology and truth for us. We will keep on fighting for these values: Sonia Gandhi 

Humare liye yeh ek vichardhara, usulon aur sachai ki ladai hai, aur hum ladenge: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on #PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/oOdRD8Cw1E

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017

#11:30 AM

Opposition Presidential candidate #MeiraKumar files her nomination pic.twitter.com/MGc1LJYmFo

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017

#11:20 AM

Meira Kumar in Parliament alongwith Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and other Opposition leaders, to file her nomination shortly

Opposition Presidential candidate #MeiraKumar to file her nomination shortly pic.twitter.com/oFJHa8ZdMq

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017

#11:10 AM

Congress President Sonia Gandhi arrives in Parliament

#11:00 AM

Opposition Presidential candidate #MeiraKumar arrives in Parliament to file her nomination pic.twitter.com/F1HmBQXuUS

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017

#10:15 AM

Delhi: Opposition Presidential candidate #MeiraKumar pays tribute at Rajghat before filing her nomination pic.twitter.com/qGGIYqC9lZ

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017

#7:30 AM

Opposition Presidential candidate Meira Kumar to file her nomination today

Leaders of a number of opposition parties including CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury and TMC's Derek O'Brien and other leaders representing opposition parties like the DMK, SP, BSP, RJS and JMM, also accompanied her during her nomination filing.

ALSO READ | Presidential poll: Meira Kumar makes emotional appeal to electors, says vote with inner conscience

The 75-year-old Kumar is the joint opposition candidate of 17 non-NDA parties against the ruling NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker, will launch her campaign from June 30 from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat, soon after the scrutiny of nominations on June 29.

She said that for her it is a battle of ideologies and not a 'Dalit versus Dalit' fight. Kumar had earlier made an emotional appeal to the electorate comprising MPs and MLAs to cast their vote with their "inner conscience".

ALSO READ | Presidential poll: UPA’s candidate Meira Kumar says caste factor must be buried in deep earth

She also said the president's post cannot be used for narrow political interests.

Taking a leaf from former prime minister Indira Gandhi's appeal made during the 1974 presidential poll in favour of V V Giri, Kumar said, "This is that moment when one should heed to the inner voice of conscience and set the course of the nation."

(With inputs from PTI)