Presidential Polls Updates: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Urges All MLAs to Support Droupadi Murmu

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA named Odisha tribal leader Droupadi Murmu as its candidate for the July 18 presidential election, while former Union minister Yashwant Sinha was declared as a joint nominee by major opposition parties, including the Congress, the NCP and the TMC on Tuesday.

BJP president JP Nadda announced the candidature of 64-year-old Murmu, former Jharkhand governor, following a meeting of the party?s parliamentary board, hours after opposition parties in a joint statement named Sinha, who was earlier with the BJP but fell out with the Modi-Shah leadership and joined the Trinamool Congress in March 2021.

If elected, 64-year-old Droupadi Murmu will be the first tribal woman to occupy the top constitutional post.

On the other hand, veteran politician Yashwant Sinha , who has been an MP from Jharkhand, stepped aside from the TMC on Tuesday before the announcement of his name and will file his nomination papers on June 27.

Track latest updates on presidential elections here:

Naveen Patnaik Urges All MLAs to Support Murmu Unanimously

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik appeals to all MLAs to support Murmu’s candidature in the Presidential election.

-2017 letter of TMC?s Kunal Ghosh requesting PM Modi to consider Murmu for prez race surfaces

A day after NDA named Odisha tribal leader Droupadi Murmu as its candidate for the July 18 presidential election and Opposition picked Yashwant Sinha, a 2017 letter of TMC?s Kunal Ghosh requesting PM Modi to consider Droupadi Murmu for the President election back then has surfaced.

-Droupadi Murmu was ?surprised? to learn on TV about her nomination 

Ruling NDA?s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu said she said she was surprised and delighted on learning on television that she was nominated for the top job by the NDA. ?I am surprised as well as delighted. As a tribal woman from remote Mayurbhanj district, I had not thought of becoming the candidate for the top post, Murmu told reporters at her Rairangpur residence on Tuesday.

She said the NDA government?s decision to nominate a tribal woman for the top post is a reflection of the BJP?s slogan of ?sabka saath, sabka vikas aur sabka vishwas?. Asked if she can get the support of the state?s ruling BJD, which holds over 2.8 per cent of votes in the electoral college for the forthcoming Presidential poll, Murmu said, I am optimistic of getting support from all members of the Odisha Legislative Assembly and MPs.

-Oppn candidate Yashwant Sinha to hold first campaign committee meeting today

Opposition?s presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha will hold the first meeting of the Campaign Committee for the presidential poll today.

Opposition leaders had on Tuesday announced that a committee has been formed to steer presidential campaign of Yashwant Sinha, who has been vocal on a range of issues.

-Droupadi Murmu gets round-the-clock Z+ category security cover 

Centre has provided round-the-clock Z+ category security cover by armed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel to NDA presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu from Wednesday, June 22.

?Droupadi Murmu sweeps floor at Odisha temple

-Droupadi Murmu offers prayers at Odisha temple day after nomination

NDAs presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu was seen offering prayers at Rairangpur Jagannath Temple in Odisha on Wednesday morning, a day after her candidature was announced.

-Confident that Droupadi Murmu will be a great President: PM Modi

Soon after Droupadi Murmu was named the BJP-led NDA?s presidential candidate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed confidence that she will be a ?great President? and said the former Jharkhand governor?s understanding of policy matters and compassionate nature will greatly benefit the country.

?Droupadi Murmu Ji has devoted her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden as well as the marginalised,? Modi said on Twitter. She has rich administrative experience and had an outstanding gubernatorial tenure, he said.

?I am confident she will be a great President of our nation,? Modi said. Millions of people, especially those who have experienced poverty and faced hardships, derive great strength from the life of Droupadi Murmu, the prime minister said.

?Her understanding of policy matters and compassionate nature will greatly benefit our country,? Modi said. Murmu (64), a former Jharkhand governor, will be the first person from Odisha and the first tribal woman to occupy the top constitutional post if she is elected, a strong possibility as numbers are stacked in favour of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

-New heights for tribal pride with the announcement of Droupadi Murmu?s candidature, says Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday hailed the decision to nominate former Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu as NDA candidate for presidential election and said the move will work to take the tribal pride to new heights. In a series of tweets in Hindi, Shah said the announcement of Murmu?s candidature for President is a reflection of the unwavering resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the welfare of women and tribals.

Today is a very important moment for the country, when NDA under the leadership of @narendramodi and @JPNadda has announced Mrs. Droupadi Murmu as its candidate for President. This decision will work to take tribal pride to new heights. I congratulate Modi for this, he said. The home minister said whether it is women empowerment or restoring the pride of tribal identity under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the amount of work done in this direction in the last eight years has never been seen before.

Shah said Murmu has made a special identity in public life by spreading awareness about education in the tribal society and serving the public for a long time as a public representative. I wish her all the best on becoming a candidate for this dignified post and I am sure she will definitely win, he said.

-AAP keeps cards close to its chest 

Even as the ruling NDA and the opposition parties announced their presidential candidates on Tuesday, the AAP kept its cards close to its chest, saying it will reveal its position once the party?s top leadership takes a decision in this regard.

On his party?s stand on the Opposition nominating Sinha as their candidate, AAP?s Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sanjay Singh told reporters, ?When our party?s top leadership will take a decision with regard to the presidential elections, we will share it with you?.

Asked to elaborate, he said, ?At this point in time, I can only say that a final decision will be taken by our party?s top leadership, party?s national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.?

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader had on June 12 met NCP chief Pawar in Mumbai to discuss the upcoming presidential polls, amid talks about several opposition parties exploring the possibility of nominating the Maratha strongman as their joint candidate for the presidential elections. During his meeting with Pawar, according to sources, Singh had conveyed to the NCP chief the AAP?s support to him in the presidential elections.

-Proud moment for Odisha, says CM Naveen Patnaik on Murmu as NDA presidential candidate

Expressing his happiness over the nomination of Droupadi Murmu as the BJP-led NDA?s presidential nominee, BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said it was a proud moment for the people of his state.

?I was delighted when Hon?ble PM @narendramodi ji discussed this with me. It is indeed a proud moment for people of Odisha,? Patnaik said in a tweet while congratulating Murmu on her candidature.

Patnaik said he is sure that Murmu ?will set a shining example for women empowerment in the country.?

-BJP names Droupadi Murmu as presidential candidate, Opposition Picks Yashwant Sinha 

The BJP-led NDA named Odisha tribal leader Droupadi Murmu as its candidate while former Union minister Yashwant Sinha was declared as a joint nominee by major opposition parties, including the Congress, the NCP and the TMC on Tuesday.

BJP president J P Nadda announced the candidature of 64-year-old Murmu, former Jharkhand governor, following a meeting of the party?s parliamentary board, hours after opposition parties in a joint statement named Sinha, who was earlier with the BJP but fell out with the Modi-Shah leadership and joined the Trinamool Congress in March 2021.

Murmu (64), a former Jharkhand governor, will be the first tribal woman to occupy the top constitutional post if she is elected, a strong possibility as numbers are stacked in favour of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Meanwhile, Opposition leaders announced that a committee has been formed to steer presidential campaign of Yashwant Sinha, who has been vocal on a range of issues.

Yashwant Sinha?s name came up after Sharad Pawar, Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah declined the opposition?s offer to be their joint candidate for the presidential polls.

The presidential election would be held on July 18 to elect a successor to incumbent Ram Nath Kovind and the result would be out on July 21.

(With PTI inputs)

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