President poll: 10 interesting facts about Ram Nath Kovind's life and political journey

Ruling Bharatiya Janta Party on Monday announced Ram Nath Kovind as NDA's candidate for the Presidential poll. The Governer of Bihar, Ram Nath Kovind was born in a small village of Uttar Pradesh's Paronkh and belongs to a Dalit Koli caste.

Here are the 10 lesser known facts about Ram Nath Kovind's life and political journey:

1. 70-year-old Kovind is a Dalit leader from Kanpur, he was president of the BJP Dalit Morcha from 1998 to 2002. He has also been President of the All India Koli Samaj as well as the SC/ST representative at IIM-Calcutta.

2. Kovind was twice elected to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in 1994-2000 and 2000-2006.

3. He represented India in the United Nations in New York and addressed United Nations General Assembly in October 2002.

4. Kovind donated his ancestral house in his native village in Kanpur as 'Barat Ghar' or community house to the village.

5. In 1977, before joining the BJP, Kovind worked as the private secretary of then prime minister Morarji Desai.

6. Kovind has long been seen as the BJP's counter to Mayawati and In the 2012 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Rajnath Singh had taken his during campaign in the Dalit areas. 

7. On august 8, 2015, Kovind was appointed as the Governer of Bihar.

8. Kovind is married and has a son and a daughter.

9. Kovind cleared prestigious UPSC exam but refused to join as he was selected for allied services rather IAS services.

10. If gets through, Kovind will be the 1st President from Uttar Pradesh- a state that has given 9 prime ministers to the country.