Bhubaneswar: With BJD declaring its support for ‘Daughter of Odisha’ and BJP-led NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, her election to the country’s highest office is not a foregone conclusion.
The NDA has around 48 per cent of the votes while the BJD has 2.85 per cent of the votes, which will help her achieve 50 per cent of the first preference votes of the electoral college required to become the next President.
Two ministers from Odisha – Jagannath Saraka and Tukuni Sahu – also signed the nomination papers of the presidential candidate in New Delhi on Thusrday. She is scheduled to file her nominations on Friday.
Besides BJD, Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) have extended support to Murmu.
YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy had met the Prime Minister while negotiations for the presidential candidate were on, and MLAs and MPs of the ruling Andhra Pradesh party MLAs and MPs are likely to vote for Murmu. The AIADMk is also expected to back her despite the current strain in ties. National People’s Party (NPP) chief and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma and Nagaland chief minister Nephiu Rio will also be participating in the nomination for the presidential election, media reports said.
Though JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda described Murmu as a “suitable” and “non-controversial” candidate, he remained non-committal on supporting her during the election.
The former Jharkhand Governor is pitted against the common candidate of the Opposition Yashwant Sinha and he is being backed by Congress, NCP, TMC, CPI, CPI-M, Samajwadi Party, National Conference, AIMIM, RJD and AIUDF. K Chandrashekhar Rao, whose party TRS along with AAP, SAD, BJD and YSRCP stayed away from the opposition meeting called by Mamata Banerjee, may be persuaded to support Sinha. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA), including Congress, has over 25 per cent of the votes.
The election for the office of the President of India is scheduled for July 18 and the counting of votes, if needed, will be done on July 21.
Once elected, Murmu will become the first Odia, and the first tribal to occupy the president’s chair. She belongs to the Santhal community in Odisha’s Myurbhanj district.
Also Read: Know More About The Odisha-Born Who Went On To Become The 4th President Of India
