CHENNAI: Presidential candidates of both the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress — Ram Nath Kovind and Meira Kumar — will be in the city on Saturday to garner support among legislators of the electoral college, which comprises MLAs and MPs. Mr Kovind will meet MLAs and MPs of the EPS and OPS factions of the AIADMK separately, while there is no scheduled meeting with TTV Dhinakaran, who also commands support of 30 MLAs.
“The Opposition Presidential candidate Meira Kumar will interact with MLAs from the DMK in the presence of Working President M.K. Stalin at the Leela Palace hotel at 6.30 pm on Saturday,” a statement from the DMK said on Friday. Ms Meira Kumar will also call on DMK chief M Karunanidhi at his residence before the meeting.
All three factions of the AIADMK have expressed support to Mr Kovind and his visit is expected to give momentum to the BJP's campaign for the Presidential poll scheduled on July 17. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, besides lawmakers from all state assemblies, comprise the Electoral College, totalling to 10,98,882 votes.
The vote value of a member of the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha is 708, while that of a legislator would depend on the population of the state represented.
