The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday announced that it would support joint Opposition leader Meira Kumar in the July 17 presidential poll, the Hindustan Times reported. Kumar will take on National Democratic Alliance candidate and former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind during Monday’s election.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said Kumar had called up party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to seek his support. “A meeting of the AAP’s Political Affairs Committee was held under the chairmanship of national convenor Arvind Kejriwal to decide the party’s stance on the presidential election,” Singh said, according to News 18. “It was decided in the meeting that AAP’s MLAs will support joint Opposition candidate Meira Kumar.”

Singh said the election of the president should be above party lines. “It would be better if the president and vice president are chosen by consensus between the government and the Opposition,” Singh said. “It sends a good message for democracy. But given the circumstances, most parties are supporting Meira Kumar.”

On June 22, 17 Opposition parties led by the Congress had named Meira Kumar their presidential candidate, three days after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA fielded Ram Nath Kovind.