<div align="justify">By selecting Ram Nath Kovind, a dalit leader, as its candidate the presidential election, the BJP has spurred fence-sitters into action.<br /> <br />Within hours of the announcement of Kovind's candidature, TRS and BJD declared their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's choice for the country's top office. YSR Congress, headed by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, reiterated its support to the BJP candidate.<br /> <br />The electoral college for the presidential election has a vote value of 10.98 lakh and comprises 4896 electors – elected members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and elected members of legislative assemblies of states and union territories.<br /> <br />If the BJP manages to keep the NDA intact it has the assured support of 48% of the total electoral college. The BJP has already secured the support of AIADMK, YSR Congress who together make up 7% of the electoral college.<br /> <br />Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, whose TRS commands 2% votes in the electoral college, announced his support for Kovind's candidature after the Prime Minister spoke to him. YSR Congress too reiterated its support.<br /> <br />Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the support of the BJD – which has about 3% votes in the electoral college – placing Kovind with a comfortable support of 60% of the total vote share.<br /> <br />The Bihar Governor's candidature has put Nitish Kumar's JD(U) in a fix as it feels that the party could not be seen opposing a Dalit. However, the Bihar Chief Minister has conveyed to his opposition colleagues that he would stand by their decision.<br /> <br />Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has played the 'son-of-the-soil' card while canvassing support the Kanpur-born Kovind in an attempt to sway the SP and the BSP.<br /> <br />It is NDA partner Shiv Sena that is playing hardball with the BJP. Sena President Thackeray said his party – with 2.34% voteshare – will not support Kovind's candidature if vote bank politics was the reason for his selection.<br /> <br />The opposition block, led by the Congress, has 35% votes and would be looking at making a dent in the NDA ranks hoping for cross voting by parties such as the Shiv Sena.<br /> <br />The AAP with 85 MLAs and four MPs has a vote value of 8922 and has announced to vote with the opposition block despite Congress keeping it away from the grouping. <br /></div>
<div align="justify">By selecting Ram Nath Kovind, a dalit leader, as its candidate the presidential election, the BJP has spurred fence-sitters into action.<br /> <br />Within hours of the announcement of Kovind's candidature, TRS and BJD declared their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's choice for the country's top office. YSR Congress, headed by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, reiterated its support to the BJP candidate.<br /> <br />The electoral college for the presidential election has a vote value of 10.98 lakh and comprises 4896 electors – elected members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and elected members of legislative assemblies of states and union territories.<br /> <br />If the BJP manages to keep the NDA intact it has the assured support of 48% of the total electoral college. The BJP has already secured the support of AIADMK, YSR Congress who together make up 7% of the electoral college.<br /> <br />Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, whose TRS commands 2% votes in the electoral college, announced his support for Kovind's candidature after the Prime Minister spoke to him. YSR Congress too reiterated its support.<br /> <br />Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the support of the BJD – which has about 3% votes in the electoral college – placing Kovind with a comfortable support of 60% of the total vote share.<br /> <br />The Bihar Governor's candidature has put Nitish Kumar's JD(U) in a fix as it feels that the party could not be seen opposing a Dalit. However, the Bihar Chief Minister has conveyed to his opposition colleagues that he would stand by their decision.<br /> <br />Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has played the 'son-of-the-soil' card while canvassing support the Kanpur-born Kovind in an attempt to sway the SP and the BSP.<br /> <br />It is NDA partner Shiv Sena that is playing hardball with the BJP. Sena President Thackeray said his party – with 2.34% voteshare – will not support Kovind's candidature if vote bank politics was the reason for his selection.<br /> <br />The opposition block, led by the Congress, has 35% votes and would be looking at making a dent in the NDA ranks hoping for cross voting by parties such as the Shiv Sena.<br /> <br />The AAP with 85 MLAs and four MPs has a vote value of 8922 and has announced to vote with the opposition block despite Congress keeping it away from the grouping. <br /></div>
