Presidential poll: NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu to visit Ranchi today to seek support for her candidature

Presidential election: NDA's presidential candidate, Draupadi Murmu, and joint opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha are the only two contesting candidates for election to the office of the President after the last date for the withdrawal of candidature ended on Saturday.

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Ranchi (Jharkhand): National Democratic Alliance`s (NDA) presidential candidate and former Jharkhand governor Draupadi Murmu will visit Ranchi on Monday to meet senior leaders and legislators in the state and seek support for her candidature in the presidential polls. The ruling party in the state, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has not opened up yet as to whom the party going to support as UPA candidate Yashwant Sinha and the NDA's have spoken to JMM`s executive president and Chief Minister Hemant Soren for support in their favour. It is expected that JMM may announce its stand on Monday. 

On June 25, a meeting of JMM leaders including all MLAs and MPs was held under the leadership of its supreme Shibu Soren wherein it was decided that the party`s executive president Hemant Soren will meet the Union Home Minister in Delhi and then the party will decide on extending the support for presidential candidates. On June 27, Soren called on Home Minister Amit Shah and the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi but maintained his silence after the meetings.

The JMM support in the upcoming Presidential elections would be crucial to watch as its ally UPA has also fielded Yashwant Sinha as a candidate, while the BJP-led NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu hailed from the Santhal community. JMM has been pursuing a tribal political plank and Santhals has been the significant vote bank for the party.

JMM supremo Shibu Soren, the party`s president emerged as a Guruji by agitating Mahajani Pratha from Santhal and he spearheaded a separate state movement with the support of Santhals. 

National Democratic Alliance`s (NDA) presidential candidate Draupadi and joint opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha are the only two contesting candidates for election to the Office of the President after the last date for the withdrawal of candidature ended on Saturday.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the candidature of Draupadi Murmu and called it historic on the second day of the Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) national executive meeting in Hyderabad. The Prime Minister reportedly spoke very highly about Murmu and her life journey, giving special stress on her humble beginnings and her struggle throughout her life and yet she did not fail to achieve what she stood for. He also spoke about her conduct in public life, emphasizing how Murmu worked constantly for the upliftment of every stratum of society, said ANI report.

Who is Draupadi Murmu?

Draupadi Murmu, who is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance, continues to break barriers and was the first woman governor of Jharkhand. She served as Jharkhand Governor from 2015 to 2021.

Born in a poor tribal family in the village of Mayurbhanj on June 20, 1958, Draupadi Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances. She taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur.  

Despite being born in a backward district in Odisha, she strived hard to pursue BA at Ramadevi Women`s College Bhubaneswar. She started her political career as Rairangpur NAC vice-chairman. 

Murmu was a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Rairangpur between 2000 and 2004. As a minister, she held portfolios of Transport and Commerce, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. She again served as MLA in the Odisha assembly from 2004 to 2009. 

Notably, the elections for the President of India will take place on July 18 and the results will be out on July 21. The term of President Ram Nath Kovind concludes on July 24. The voting for the presidential election will be held in Parliament and the premises of state assemblies. The Rajya Sabha Secretary-General will be the returning officer.

The president is elected by the members of the electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and elected members of the legislative assemblies of all states including the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The nominated members of either Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha or legislative assemblies of the states are not eligible to be included in the electoral college and therefore, they are not entitled to take part in the voting. Similarly, members of the legislative councils are also not electors for the presidential election.

(With ANI/PTI Inputs)