National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) presidential candidate and former Jharkhand governor Droupadi Murmu will visit Ranchi today.

She will meet senior leaders and legislators in the state and seek support for her candidature in the presidential polls. Notably, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the ruling party in the state has not opened up yet as to whom the party going to support. UPA candidate Yashwant Sinha and the NDA’s both 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.

However, even after the meetings, Soren maintained his silence.
It would be interesting to know whom would the JMM support in the upcoming Presidential elections as its ally UPA has fielded Yashwant Sinha as a candidate, while the candidate hailed from the Santhal community Droupadi Murmu has been nominated by the BJP-led ND.

JMM has been pursuing a tribal political plank and Santhals have been the significant vote bank for the party.

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

National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) presidential candidate Droupadi 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.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the candidature of the NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu and called it historic on the second day of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national executive meeting in Hyderabad.

Sources said the Prime Minister spoke very highly about Murmu and her life journey.

PM gave special stress on her humble beginnings and her struggle throughout her life and yet she did not fail to achieve what she stood for. PM Modi also spoke about her conduct in public life, emphasizing how Murmu worked constantly for the upliftment of every stratum of society.

Droupadi Murmu is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance. She 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 a village of Mayurbhanj, a backward district in Odisha, Droupadi Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances. She taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur.

Born on June 20, 1958, she pursued BA at Ramadevi Women’s College Bhubaneswar.

She started her political career as Rairangpur NAC vice-chairman. Droupadi 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.

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 Electoral College for election to the Office of the President consists of the elected Members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies of all states including Delhi and Puducherry.