NDA Presidential candidate Murmu has risen in public life from a very humble background

Unlike other democracies, the common Indians do not elect their President directly. The Head of the Republic of India is voted by the people’s representatives (parliamentarians and legislators) on the basis of Electoral College

By Nava Thakuria (From Guwahati)

Draupadi Murmu, the Presidential candidate of the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, has led a life of struggle and risen in public life from a very humble background. Hailing from a poor tribal family, she completed her studies at Bhubaneswar’s Ramadevi Women’s College against all odds. Born on 20 June 1958, Murmu started her career as a teacher before delving into Odisha politics.

Murmu was elected to the State Legislative Assembly twice as a BJP member. She held various portfolios as a minister in the state government of Odisha. Incidentally, she became the first woman Governor of Jharkhand (2015 to 2021). Hailing from Mayurbhanj locality of Odisha, Murmu taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre.

Her first reaction on hearing her candidature as the NDA’s presidential candidate was a big surprise. “I am surprised, I was not able to believe it,” said Murmu while speaking to journalists. She said she would work with the Constitutional guidelines if elected to the post of President. The Presidential election is scheduled for July 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a tweet, had said that Murmu has a rich administrative experience and has had an outstanding gubernatorial tenure.

‘Historic moment’

Meanwhile, the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKA), backed by the BJP’s influential ideologue Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), termed Murmu’s candidature as “a historic moment for the 120 million Janajati people of India.”

“Janajatis are an integral constituent of traditions and inheritors of an esteemed culture of the great Indian nation. However, they have been overlooked and disregarded for many centuries,” said Ramchandra Kharadi, president of ABVKA, which is identified as India’s largest tribal non-government welfare organisation.

Kharadi said a historical decision has been taken to nominate a Santhali Janajati woman as the Presidential candidate when the country is celebrating the glorious 75th year of its Independence.

Nomination papers

Murmu filed her nomination papers in New Delhi in the presence of Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national president JP Nadda, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, among others.

Murmu’s main opponent is the erudite and seasoned politician Yashwant Sinha, a former Union minister, who has been declared as the joint Opposition candidate for the Presidential election.

The Election Commission of India recently announced the schedule of Presidential election as the five-year tenure of President Ram Nath Kovind comes to an end on 24 July 2022. The result will be available on July 21.

Who can become candidates

For the record, any citizen of Bharat can become the country’s President after fulfilling a few conditions. The aspirant must be at least 35 years old and he/she should have the qualification to be elected as a member of Lok Sabha. On submitting the nomination, the aspirant needs 50 recognised proposers and 50 seconders.

Unlike other democracies, the common Indians do not elect their President directly. The Head of the Republic of India is voted by the people’s representatives (parliamentarians and legislators) with the basis of Electoral College. It includes 543 members of Lok Sabha (the lower House of Parliament), 233 members of Rajya Sabha (the upper House) and 4,033 members of legislative assemblies across the vast country. The value of an MP’s vote in Presidential elections varies with the total number of legislators in the state (including union territories) legislative assemblies. An MLA’s vote-value depends on the number of electorates of the concerned State/UT.

The ruling BJP has 92 Rajya Sabha members (including four nominated MPs, who cannot vote) and 301 Lok Sabha MPs, which is more than half of the combined strength of both the Houses. The saffron party also enjoys support from its allies like Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, Apna Dal, Asom Gana Parishad, Mizo National Front, National People’s Party, etc. As the BJP is in power in 18 states, it enjoys impressive numbers (along with its political allies) among legislators too.

Wide support

Meanwhile, in Murmu’s home State, the Biju Janata Dal chief and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has urged all political parties of Odisha to support Murmu (even though they are not NDA allies). Patnaik, who has been in power for over two decades now, also appealed to the Opposition parties to withdraw their candidate (Yashwant Sinha).

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has also indicated that his party YSRCP may support Murmu. Others who may join the league include BSP (Uttar Pradesh), TRS (Telangana), AAP (Delhi & Punjab), JMM (Jharkhand), and AIADMK (Tamil Nadu).

For the ruling BJP, there were a number of choices for the Presidential candidate including the incumbent Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and governors of different states. However, the party silently picked up an efficient and honest Santhal political personality to replace a Dalit (Kovind is the second Dalit President of India after KR Narayanan) in Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Also read by the same author: All about perception: Why a section of the Assam media may seem to be losing out on public’s trust – THE NEWS PORTER

Nava Thakuria is a senior journalist based in northeast India. His news-features are published in various media outlets in different parts of the globe. His primary focus areas are socio-political, cultural and environmental developments taking place in eastern India along with Tibet, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. The views are his own and The News Porter bears no responsibility for the same.