Presidential Election 2017 Voting is begun

New Delhi, July 17: The Voting to elect the country's 14th President began on Monday morning.

All elected MPs and a member of Legislative Assemblies are eligible to cast their vote to elect the successor of Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 25.

The contest is between National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee Ram Nath Kovind and candidate of several major opposition parties Meira Kumar, who was former Lok Sabha Speaker.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi's choice of a Dalit candidate was seen as a masterstroke to divide the opposition and keep allies together.

Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United broke ranks with the opposition to announce support for Mr. Kovind and BJP's fractious ally Shiv Sena found itself outmaneuvered.

In this election, the numbers are stacked against the opposition. The BJP and allies have well over 60 per cent of the vote.