Ashok Gehlot says Ram Nath Kovind is President because of his caste

Jaipur, Apr 17 Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said Ram Nath Kovind was made India's President to adjust caste equations ahead of the assembly election in Gujarat in 2017.

"People even say that Ram Nath Kovind was made President considering Gujarat assembly elections in 2017. I was reading an article. He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) was afraid that he was not going to form the administration in Gujarat. BJP chief Amit Shah may have given him proposal after which it was chosen to make Ram Nath Kovind the President," Gehlot told reporters here at a press conference.

Kovind was chosen president in July 2017 and Gujarat assembly elections were held in December in the year.

"(Lal Krishna) Advani was left however he needed to turn into the president. People of the nation had expectation that he (Advani) will get the respect which he deserved but was deprived. Though it is BJP's internal issue, I am talking about it since I read an article," the Rajasthan chief minister added.