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Droupadi Murmu: Who is the BJP nominee for Indian president Droupadi Murmu: The woman who is India's first tribal president
(30 days later)
Droupadi Murmu was chosen from among 20 names under consideration, the BJP said Droupadi Murmu is the first tribal to become Indian president
India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named Droupadi Murmu, a tribal politician, as its candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections. Droupadi Murmu, a tribal politician, has been elected as the new president of India.
The 64-year-old former teacher, who comes from Odisha (Orissa) state, has spent decades with the BJP and had a stint as a state governor. The candidate of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the 64-year-old former teacher comes from Odisha (Orissa) state and has had a stint as a state governor.
If elected, she would be the country's first tribal leader in the top post. Ms Murmu is the country's first tribal leader in the top post.
The president in India is the head of the state, but does not exercise executive powers.The president in India is the head of the state, but does not exercise executive powers.
He or she is elected by the members of both the houses of parliament and of the legislative assemblies of states and federally-administered union territories.He or she is elected by the members of both the houses of parliament and of the legislative assemblies of states and federally-administered union territories.
Analysts say the BJP has enough numbers to ensure its nominee's success. Ms Murmu registered a comfortable win against the opposition's candidate - veteran politician Yashwant Sinha. Mr Sinha, who was a senior minister in the BJP government led by then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the 1990s and early 2000s, is now a vocal critic of the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he is "confident" that she will make a "great president". Ms Murmu will now replace President Ram Nath Kovind, whose term ends on 24 July.
Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji has devoted her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden as well as the marginalised. She has rich administrative experience and had an outstanding gubernatorial tenure. I am confident she will be a great President of our nation.Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji has devoted her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden as well as the marginalised. She has rich administrative experience and had an outstanding gubernatorial tenure. I am confident she will be a great President of our nation.
Announcing her nomination on Tuesday after a meeting of the BJP's parliamentary board, party president JP Nadda said Ms Murmu was chosen after a detailed discussion of 20 names that the party and its allies had considered. Ms Murmu was chosen as the presidential candidate after a detailed discussion of 20 names that the BJP and its allies had considered.
Ms Murmu said she learnt about her nomination from television and the news had "surprised" and "delighted" her. She said she learnt about her nomination from television and the news had "surprised" and "delighted" her.
"As a tribal woman from remote Mayurbhanj district, I had not thought about becoming the candidate for the top post," she told reporters after learning of her nomination."As a tribal woman from remote Mayurbhanj district, I had not thought about becoming the candidate for the top post," she told reporters after learning of her nomination.
Political leaders from all parties in Odisha welcomed her nomination, describing her as a "daughter of the soil". Ms Murmu said she was "optimistic" about getting support from all the elected lawmakers in the state. Political leaders in Odisha had welcomed her nomination, describing her as a "daughter of the soil".
In the elections, Ms Murmu will be pitted against the opposition candidate - veteran politician and former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha. A senior minister in the BJP government led by then prime minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee in the 1990s and early 2000s, Mr Sinha is now a vocal critic of the party and Mr Modi. Party colleague in the state, Kabi Vishnu Satpathy, who has known her since the 1980s, describes her as a "straightforward and simple" person.
His nomination came after two veteran opposition politicians - Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah - and Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, rejected the opposition's offer to stand for the post. "A compassionate woman, she's good at heart, with no arrogance, no airs. She doesn't show off, mixes freely with people and is humble and down-to-earth. As a politician, she knew how to take people along."
The presidential election is to be held on 18 July and the results declared on 21 July. Droupadi Murmu was chosen from among 20 names under consideration, the BJP said
The winning candidate will replace President Ram Nath Kovind whose term ends on 24 July. Next month, Indian lawmakers will also vote to select the country's vice-president.
The BJP has announced Jagdeep Dhankar - a senior leader who is currently governor of West Bengal state - as its candidate. The opposition is fielding Margaret Alva, a Congress veteran who has been a federal minister several times.
Who is Droupadi Murmu?Who is Droupadi Murmu?
Ms Murmu first came into the limelight in 2017 when she was rumoured to be among the names under consideration by the BJP ahead of the presidential election that year. She was then serving as the governor of the state of Jharkhand. Ms Murmu came into the limelight in 2017 when it was rumoured that the BJP was considering her name for the presidential election that year. She was then serving as the governor of the state of Jharkhand.
Born on 20 June 1958 in Baidaposi village of Mayurbhanj district, Ms Murmu belongs to the Santhal community, one of India's oldest and largest tribal groups. Born in 1958 in Baidaposi village of Mayurbhanj district, Ms Murmu belongs to the Santhal community, one of India's largest tribal groups.
Daughter of a village council chief, she studied at the Ramadevi Women's College in the state capital, Bhubaneswar.Daughter of a village council chief, she studied at the Ramadevi Women's College in the state capital, Bhubaneswar.
Beginning her career as a clerk for the Odisha government, she served as a junior assistant in the irrigation and energy department from 1979-1983. Journalist and activist Nigamananda Patnaik, who's known her since 1980, says Ms Murmu started her education in her village school.
She also taught at Sri Aurobindo Integral Education and Research Center in Rairangpur from 1994-1997. "When she was a child, her father took her to the nearby town of Rairangpur when a minister in the Odisha government, Kartik Majhi, was visiting. Suddenly, she ran up onto the stage, waving her school certificate, and told the minister that she wanted to study in Bhubaneswar."
Her political career began in 1997 when she was elected as a councillor in the local polls in Rairangpur, a city close to her hometown. The minister was so impressed by the little girl's enthusiasm that he ordered his staff to help her get a place in a government school in the state capital, Ms Patnaik said.
Beginning her career as a clerk for the Odisha government, Ms Murmu served as a junior assistant in the irrigation and energy department from 1979-1983.
What is India's president actually for?
After she quit her job in Bhubaneswar and returned to Rairangpur to take care of her family at the insistence of her mother-in-law, she took up a job as a teacher at the Sri Aurobindo Integral School.
"But she refused to accept a salary. The school only paid her rickshaw fare. She said this was not a job, but public service. She said the salary of her husband, a bank officer, was enough to take care of the family needs," Ms Patnaik says.
Her political career began in 1997 when she was elected as a councillor in the local polls in Rairangpur. She was often seen personally supervising sanitation work in the town, standing in the sun as drains were cleaned and garbage cleared.
As a member of the BJP, she was elected to the state assembly twice - in 2000 and in 2009 - from the Rairangpur seat.As a member of the BJP, she was elected to the state assembly twice - in 2000 and in 2009 - from the Rairangpur seat.
From 2000-2004, she was a minister in the state's coalition government, led by Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal party. Initially in charge of commerce and transport, she later handled the fisheries and animal resources portfolios. In 2015, Ms Murmu was appointed as the first female governor of the state of Jharkhand
From 2000 to 2004, she was a minister in the state's coalition government, led by Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal party. Initially in-charge of commerce and transport, she later handled the fisheries and animal resources portfolios.
From 2006 to 2009, Ms Murmu was the president of the BJP's state wing for "scheduled tribes" - tribal communities recognised by India's constitution as socially and economically disadvantaged.From 2006 to 2009, Ms Murmu was the president of the BJP's state wing for "scheduled tribes" - tribal communities recognised by India's constitution as socially and economically disadvantaged.
She left active politics in 2015 after she was appointed as the first female governor of the neighbouring state of Jharkhand. Her life took a tragic turn in 2009 when she lost her elder son in mysterious circumstances. A few years later, she also lost her second son and her husband.
She was also the first tribal leader from Odisha to be appointed as governor of a state and held the position for six years until July 2021. "She was heartbroken," Mr Satpathy said. "She would cry inconsolably whenever we'd meet. She used to say, 'there's nothing left in my life anymore'," he added.
According to BBC Hindi's Ravi Prakash in Ranchi, Jharkhand's capital, Ms Murmu won much appreciation as during her tenure, the governor's office was open to people from all communities and walks of life. But she pulled herself together and in 2015, she was appointed as the first female governor of the neighbouring state of Jharkhand. She held the position for six years until July 2021.
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India floods destroy millions of homes and dreams According to BBC Hindi's Ravi Prakash in Ranchi, Jharkhand's capital, Ms Murmu won appreciation during her tenure for keeping the governor's office open to people from all walks of life.
How bulldozers became a vehicle of injustice in India On several occasions, she also made news for breaking protocol - like when she visited Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his home or went with a delegation to meet the railway minister to press for expansion of rail services in Mayurbhanj, her home district.
The YouTubers Indians turn to for financial advice "Both incidents were considered violation of protocol. But she couldn't care less," says Rajkishore Das, her political mentor.
What we know about India rapper Moose Wala's murder Mr Das adds that the most remarkable part of Ms Murmu's personality "is her equanimity in both happy and sad times and her stoicism in the face of tragedy".
"The way she gathered herself and continued working for the people even after multiple tragedies in her family speaks volumes about her remarkable strength of character."