Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Tuesday announced Draupadi Murmu from Odisha as NDA's Presidential candidate for the upcoming elections.
Addressing a presser, BJP president JP Nadda today announced the NDA's candidates for the presidential elections. "For the first time, preference has been given to a woman tribal candidate. We announce Draupadi Murmu as NDA's candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections," he said.
He further said that the BJP parliamentary board discussed 20 names for the presidential nominee and finally, it was decided to pick someone from east India, a tribal and a woman.
Expressing his confidence that she will be a great President of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a tweet, “Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji has devoted her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden as well as the marginalized. She has rich administrative experience and had an outstanding gubernatorial tenure. I am Confident she will be a great President of our nation.”
In another tweet, the PM said, “Millions of people, especially those who have experienced poverty and faced hardships, derive great strength from the life of Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji. Her understanding of policy matters and compassionate nature will greatly benefit our country.”
"Today is an important day for the country when NDA, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, J P Nadda announced Draupadi Murmu as the Presidential candidate. This decision will work to take tribal pride to new heights. I congratulate Modi ji for this," tweeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
BJP national vice-president Baijayant Jay Panda also congratulated Murmu and tweeted: Heartiest congratulations to Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji for her nomination as the NDA's candidate for the post of President of India. A tribal leader from Odisha has successfully completed her term as the Governor of Jharkhand.
Congratulating Draupadi Murmu on being announced as candidate of NDA for the country’s highest office, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, "I was delighted when PM Modi discussed this with me. It is indeed a proud moment for people of Odisha. I am sure Smt Murmu will set a shining example for women empowerment in the country."
The BJP chose Murmu as its candidate for the post of President against Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha. If Murmu becomes the successor of present incumbent Ram Nath Kovind, she will be the first Odia to hold the topmost constitutional post and will become the 15th President of India.
Murmu, born on June 20, 1958, was the Minister of State with Independent charge for Commerce and transport from March 6, 2000 to August 6, 2002 and Fisheries and Animal Resources Development from August 6, 2002 to May 16, 2004, during the BJP and BJD coalition government in Odisha.
Murmu was the first woman governor of Jharkhand, and thus became the first woman and tribal leader of Odisha to be the governor of an Indian State. Now, she is living in her village in Rairangpur.
Notably, the election for the President of India will be held on July 18 and the counting will take place in New Delhi on July 21. Worth mentioning, the tenure of current President of India Ram Nath Kovind is coming to an end on July 24.