Droupadi Murmu, a tribal leader from Odisha, was on Tuesday named the ruling NDA’s candidate for the forthcoming Presidential election. The decision was taken at the BJP’s parliamentary board meeting. Here’s what you need to know.
BJP’s Presidential Candidate
After days of wait, the BJP-led NDA government announced Draupadi Murmu as its Presidential Candidate on Tuesday. She is placed against the Opposition’s Candidate, former Union Minister, and former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha.
If elected, Draupadi would be the first tribal leader to be made President, and the first President from Odisha. Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted after the announcement, and said, “Murmu has devoted her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden as well as the marginalized.”
Here are 10 things to know about Draupadi Murmu:
1. Born on 20 June 1958 in Baidaposi village of Mayurbhanj district, Draupadi belongs to the Santhal community. She worked as a teacher before entering politics and was a junior assistant in the Irrigation and Power Department.
2. Draupadi began her political career by joining BJP in 1997. She was elected as a councilor and served as an MLA in the Odisha Legislative Assembly twice. She served as Minister of State.
3. In 2007, she was awarded the Nilakantha Award for Best MLA by the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
4. She was Jharkhand’s first female Governor and the first Odia tribal leader to be made Governor of any state. She was also the first Jharkhand Governor to complete the entire term in the state.
5. She has served as the National Executive Member and State President of the BJP’s ST Morcha. She has held several important positions in the BJP.
6. In her personal life, she has experienced a lot of grief as she has lost her husband Shyam Charan Murmu, and two sons as well.
7. She was an honorary assistant teacher at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre in Rairangpur.
8. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Arts from Ramadevi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar.
9. As Governor, she did not pass the BJP government’s bills to amend land tenancy acts in Jharkhand. She had returned the bills that were opposed by Tribals.
10. If elected, she will be the first Tribal President and the second woman President.
