NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu to file nomination on June 24

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, June 22

The ruling NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu will file her nomination for the July 18 election on June 24.

Murmu, 64, on Wednesday morning said she was surprised to learn of her nomination from the television.

This morning, photos of the NDA presidential nominee sweeping the floor at a local temple in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj went viral.

Murmu started her life as a teacher, served as a Junior Assistant in the Odisha Irrigation Department, became two-term MLA and a Minister in the Odisha Government and rose to become the first woman Governor of Jharkhand.

She will be the youngest President once elected. She will also be the first President to be born after Independence.

Murmu is set to be elected comfortably with the NDA currently short of just 1 one per cent vote in the presidential electoral college.

The ruling BJD of Odisha which has over 2 per cent votes in the electoral college has already welcomed her nomination implying an easy win for her.

“Congratulations Smt #DraupadiMurmu on being announced as candidate of NDA for the country’s highest office. I was delighted when Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji discussed this with me. It is indeed a proud moment for people of #Odisha,” BJD chief and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik said.

All northeastern states and their leaders have welcomed Murmu’s nomination and will back her.

The BJP has also got the All Jharkhand Students’ Union on board on the issue.

The tribal party JMM which is part of the non-NDA camp will also find it hard to oppose Murmu who hails from an ethnic tribal group of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj.

Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha will file his nomination on June 27.