After days of deliberation and frenetic discussions, the BJP named Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday as a candidate in the July 18 presidential election. Murmu, 64, a former governor of Jharkhand, will be the first indigenous woman to hold the highest constitutional position if elected.
With its nomination, the BJP is sending an important political message after elevating a Dalit, Ram Nath Kovind, to the top position five years ago. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Murmu has devoted her life to serving society and expressed confidence that she will be a “great president”.
Meanwhile, Murmu said she was both surprised and delighted by the announcement. Incidentally, her name also made the rounds for the likely choice of the BJP for the top constitutional position in 2017.
The leader, who is from Mayurbhanj, one of the more backward regions of Odisha, is considered gentle and affable, has held various positions in the party, has risen through the ranks, and was a minister in the state when the BJP formed an alliance. with the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
Her political career started when she contested and won an election for councilor in Rairangpur, Odisha. She later won Rairangpur’s 2000 assembly elections and became a minister in the BJD-BJP government in the state.
In 2013, she rose to the rank of national executive of the party’s planned Morcha tribe in Odisha. She has various administrative experience with ministries such as transport, trade, fisheries and animal husbandry in the government of Odisha.
As a reward for her outstanding contribution, she was awarded the ‘Nilakantha Award for Best MLA’ by the Legislative Assembly in 2007.
She has also served as a government official from 1979 to 1983 in the position of junior assistant in the irrigation and energy department of the government of Odisha.
