With Meira Kumar's selection against Ram Nath Kovind, the stage is set for a Dalit-versus-Dalit contest for the country's top constitutional post. As many as 17 Opposition parties declared former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as their common presidential candidate to take on BJP-led NDA’s Ram Nath Kovind. After a meeting, which was attended by the Left, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), DMK and the National Conference and other parties, Congress president Sonia Gandhi announced the candidature of party leader Meira Kumar for the presidential election.