The United States has congratulated president-elect Ram Nath Kovind on his electoral victory. It also said it looks forward to working with him on regional and international issues.
Kovind, a low-key lawyer-turned-politician, was chosen as India’s 14th President on Thursday. He is the first BJP member and the second Dalit leader to occupy the country’s highest office.
“We want to congratulate the President-elect Ramnath Kovind on his victory,” State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said on Thursday. “We look forward to working with the president-elect on regional and global issues,” she said considering that the US and India have a “deep and growing strategic partnership.”
A former Bihar governor, Kovind, received 2,930 votes with a value of 7,02,044, to take over the joint opposition candidate Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker. Kumar had 1,844 votes with a value of 3,67,314. Kovind gathered 65.65% of the votes in the Electoral College against the BJP’s anticipated 70%.
