'I felt I fell from the sky': Mamata on NDA's prez candidate
Expressing surprise at the NDA's decision to nominate Ram Nath Kovind as the presidential candidate, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said, "I felt I fell from the sky". Adding that she is not questioning his credibility, Mamata said, "In order to support someone, we must know the person. I have not heard of him. I don't know him".
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed her surprise at the BJP's decision to announce Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind's name as the NDA presidential candidate.In her very first reaction, Mamata said, " I felt I fell from the sky"."In order to support someone, we must know the person. I have not heard of him. I don't know him," she said in her statement. "Candidate should be someone who will be beneficial for the country," Mamata said on her way to Netherlands for a three-day official trip, adding that she will attend the meeting of opposition political parties on June 22 after which any decision could be announced. "It is not that I am questioning his credentials or credibility. I love everyone but we have to know the background, the person and then only can we support the candidature," she said while justifying her position.The Trinamool Congress supremo said she had spoken to a few opposition leaders who were equally surprised by the BJP's announcement. "There are other big Dalit leaders in the country. Just because he was the leader of Dalit Morcha of BJP they have made him the candidate," Mamata alleged. Stating, that the office of the president was a key post, Mamata said, someone of the stature of Pranab Mukherjee or even external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj or BJP patriarch Lal Krishna Advani may have been a good candidate.Mamata Banerjee in on her way to Holland to receive the prestigious UN Public Service award on UN Public Service Day on June 23.Also read:Ram Nath Kovind as presidential candidate: How BJP continues to aggressively woo Dalits Ram Nath Kovind is BJP nominee for President: 5 other times Amit Shah-led party surprised us TRS, TDP extend support to NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind 