Naveen sends two ministers to Delhi for Murmu’s nomination

BHUBANESWAR :  The BJD has not only expressed full support to NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu but also is set to become a proposer for her candidature during nomination filing on Friday. State Minister for Law, ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Class Welfare Jagannath Saraka and Minister for Water Resources, Commerce and Transport Tukuni Sahu are already in Delhi and have signed the nomination documents. 

BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is on a 10-day foreign visit, sent the two ministers to become proposers and remain present during the filing of nomination papers by Murmu. Informing this on social media, Naveen wrote, “BJP President Shri @JPNadda ji spoke to me about the filing of nomination of Smt #DraupadiMurmu ji for #PresidentElection. My cabinet colleagues Shri @saraka_fan and Smt @TukuniSahu will sign nomination papers today and attend the event tomorrow. #OdishaLeads.”

The BJD is the first non-NDA party to extend its support to Murmu. A day after NDA announced its presidential candidate, Naveen had appealed to all members of the Legislative Assembly cutting across party lines to extend unanimous support to elect the “daughter of Odisha” to the country’s highest office. BJD’s support has ensured around 52 per cent of the first preference votes for the NDA candidate and virtually sealed her victory. The State BJP has also sent 14 of its MLAs to attend the nomination filing. Earlier on the day, Murmu was given a rousing send-off at Biju Patnaik International Airport here as she left for New Delhi.  

Will meet all lawmakers and seek their support: Murmu

Tribal dance was performed as hundreds of supporters and well-wishers greeted her at the airport. She was received by State BJP president Samir Mohanty and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi at a guest house after she reached the Capital city from her native town of Rairangpur on Wednesday night.

Before leaving Bhubaneswar, Murmu sought cooperation from everyone for the presidential election scheduled on July 18 and said she will meet all the electors to seek their support. “I thank all and seek cooperation from everyone for the presidential election. I will meet all lawmakers and seek their support before July 18,” she said in a brief statement.

Her daughter Itishree Murmu, who was present at the airport, said, “People of the country love my mother for her simplicity and soft-spoken nature. She is a good and caring mother. As a leader she enjoys the rapport of leaders cutting across party lines. When she was the Gover nor of Jharkhand, common people had an opportunity to meet her. She will make the State and the country proud.”

Odisha Congress won’t vote for Murmu
Congress on Thursday rejected the request of CM Naveen Patnaik to support ‘daughter of Odisha’ Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election. CLP leader Narasingha Mishra said his party will not support her on ideological issue