Ganjam elated at Murmu’s rise

Berhampur: The announcement of Droupadi Murmu’s name as the NDA presidential candidate has brought back the memories of Varahagiri Venkata Giri, the first president with Odisha connection.
V V Giri, born and brought up in Berhampur city, remained the president from August 24, 1969, to August 24, 1974. Before being elected as President, Giri served as the third Vice-President from 1967 to 69.
“Being Odias, we are very much delighted that a tribal woman from Mayurbhanj district is likely to be the president of the country,” said Jayant Kumar Mohapatra, former vice-chancellor and political science professor of Berhampur University.
Political observers have also thanked chief minister Naveen Patnaik for extending his support to Murmu’s candidature irrespective of her party affiliation. “He has truly evoked the ‘Maa, Mati, Manush’ concept with extending his support to the candidature of Murmu,” Mohapatra added. The BJP’s Ganjam unit held a rally here on Wednesday to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for picking up a woman from Odisha for the presidential candidate. tnn