Presidential Polls: Tribal Woman Leader Droupadi Murmu To Suit Up As BJP Candidate

The BJP declared Droupadi Murmu as their Presidential pick for the polls in July.

New Delhi: The BJP has selected former governor of Jharkhand, Droupadi Murmu, as their pick for the up-coming presidential race in July.

The Odisha native will face up against former Union Minister, the joint candidate for the opposition, Yashwant Sinha. The choice came after deliberations held in the BJP parliamentary board discussion yesterday.

The board discussed 20 names for the presidential candidate. BJP Chief JP Nadda added that the new president of India must be from the East, and also a woman who hailed from the Adivasi community during the deliberations.

“Looking at all this, it was decided that former Jharkhand Governor, Droupadi Murmu, would be the NDA’s candidate for President of India,” he added.

If sworn into power Murmu will be the second woman president of the nation after Prathibha Tai Patil.

The tribal leader was the first woman to be selected as the Jharkhand governor back in 2015. She has also served as a minister in the Naveen Patnaik cabinet when the BJD rose to power in Odisha.

Murmu has time and again proved her efficiency in handling several administrations such as transport, fisheries, animal husbandry, and commerce in the Odisha legislature.

The two-time BJP legislator from Odisha commenced her political career as a councilor followed by her position as the Vice-Chairperson of Rairangpur National Advisory Council.

“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.”, PM Modi tweeted after the decision last night.

The legislator who rose to power in 2013, as the National Executive Member of the Scheduled Tribe Morcha in Odisha is a well sought after pick by the BJP.