PM congratulates Ram Nath Kovind on being elected as India's President

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated Ram Nath Kovind on being elected as the President and expressed happiness over the "extensive" support that he got from the electoral college.

Modi also congratulated opposition nominee Meira Kumar for her campaign, saying it was "in the spirit of democratic ethos and values we all are proud of".

Kovind, a 71-year-old BJP leader who was the NDA candidate, defeated Kumar, former Lok Sabha Speaker, with an overwhelming majority to become the country's 14th President.

"Congratulations to Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji on being elected the President of India! Best wishes for a fruitful & inspiring tenure," the prime minister tweeted immediately after the results came in.

"Gladdened by the extensive support for Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji among MPs & across various parties. I thank members of the electoral college," Modi added in another tweet.

Kovind got 65 per cent of the votes in the electoral college comprising MPs and MLAs.