Bengaluru, (DHNS): Meira Kumar, the Opposition’s Presidential candidate, asserted on Saturday that she was not being made a “scapegoat” in the election as she was fighting for an ideology.

“I am a fighter and I will fight. Anyone who fights for an ideology and is appealing to the conscience cannot be a scapegoat,”?she said when journalists asked her whether she was being made a scapegoat in the presidential polls as the NDA has a clear majority in the electoral college.

Meira visited the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC)?office in Bengaluru where she interacted with the party’s MLAs as part of her electoral campaign.

“Wherever I go, people tell me that I do not have the numbers. If we come to a conclusion even before the elections, there is no point in conducting the polls. Why don’t you just round up the numbers and declare the results,” she said. She said she stood for democratic values, social justice and destruction of the caste hierarchy.

Meira said she had written to the MPs and MLAs of all states (who form the electoral college for the presidential polls)?irrespective of their party affiliation, asserting that they were becoming part of a historic decision and calling on them to vote according to their conscience.

The former Speaker of the Lok Sabha said it was “unfortunate”?and “shameful” that the presidential election was being given a caste colour and portrayed as a ‘Dalit vs Dalit’ fight. “When both the sides fielded candidates from upper castes in the past, no one discussed it. We were not even aware of their caste. We were only aware of their accomplishments, experience and capabilities. When the contest is between me and Kovind (the NDA?candidate), our caste is being discussed and there is no other talk... We have to come out of this mindset,” she said.

To another question, Meira said she planned to visit all states in the coming days as part of her campaign. “I will seek the support of the JD(U)?from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar when I visit that state,” she said.

Meira also interacted with Congress MLAs at the legislature party meeting. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC?president G?Parameshwara and several senior leaders were present.

In Karnataka, the Congress has 124 MLAs, including the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and 14 MPs (both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha).

Earlier in the day, Meira met JD(S) leader and former prime minister H?D?Deve Gowda in the VIP lounge of the Kempegowda International Airport. The JD(S)?has announced its support for her. The party has 40 MLAs and three MPs. It has, however, disqualified eight of its MLAs on the grounds of carrying out anti-party activities during elections to the Rajya Sabha last year.

Presidential polls are scheduled for July 17. The NDA?candidate is former Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind.