Presidential polls: Yashwant Sinha concedes defeat, congratulates Droupadi Murmu

NEW DELHI: Opposition presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha conceded defeat after third round of counting on Thursday and congratulated Droupadi Murmu on her victory in the presidential elections.
"I join my fellow citizens in congratulating Smt Droupadi Murmu on her victory in the Presidential Election 2022. India hopes that as the 15th President of the Republic she functions as the Custodian of the Constitution without fear or favour," Yashwant Sinha said on Twitter.

"Despite the outcome of the election, I believe it has benefited Indian democracy in two important ways. It brought most opposition parties on a common platform. This is indeed the need of the hour, and I earnestly appeal to them to continue - indeed, further strengthen - opposition unity beyond the Presidential Election. It must be equally evident in the election of the Vice-President," he added.
The NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu crossed the 50 per cent mark after the third round of counting to emerge victorious in the poll over Yashwant Sinha. Murmu got 5,77,777 votes after third round of counting against Yashwant Sinha's 2,61,062 votes.
In a statement, Sinha thanked the leaders of the opposition parties for choosing him as their consensus candidate in this election.
"I also thank all members of the Electoral College who voted for me. I accepted the offer of Opposition parties solely guided by the philosophy of Karma Yoga preached by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita -- 'Do your duty without expectation of the fruits thereof'," Sinha said.