Presidential Election 2017: Chandrababu Naidu seeks Mamta Banerjee's support for Ram Nath Kovind

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will contact his West bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee to seek her Trinamool Congress’s support for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, Telgu Desam Party sources said. [caption id=“attachment_3713983” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Ram Nath Kovind. PTI[/caption] After BJP finalised the candidature of Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Naidu over phone and sought his party’s support. Naidu, whose party is a constituent of ruling NDA, welcomed the choice of a Dalit as the candidate and assured party’s full support. Modi also requested Naidu to approach Banerjee to get her party’ support for NDA candidate. Naidu conveyed to the prime minister that he will contact her after her return from foreign tour. Reacting to NDA’s choice, Banerjee said he never heard of Kovind. She said she was surprised by the decision. “I have not heard his name ever before. I do not know him. I could recognise him only after he was mentioned as the Bihar Governor. I can say that I am surprised by the decision”, Banerjee said at Dubai en route the Netherlands to address a United Nations’ event.