Murmu: Will try to live up to expectations of people
The Bharatiya Janata Party has named Draupadi Murmu, the 65-year-old Santali woman hailing from Rairangpur, in Mayurbhanj district, as its presidential candidate.
Bhubaneswar : The Bharatiya Janata Party has named Draupadi Murmu, the 65-year-old Santali woman hailing from Rairangpur, in Mayurbhanj district, as its presidential candidate.
Party president J P Nadda announced Murmu's name during a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi. The BJP Parliamentary Board named Murmu, the former Governor of Jharkhand and ex-minister of Odisha, as the NDA's presidential candidate.
Speaking to media persons, Murmu said, "I never expected my name to be announced as the NDA's presidential candidate. I thank the BJP Parliamentary Board for choosing me for this position. I will try to live up to expectations of people of my country."
Murmu was a minister in the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD-BJP coalition government from 2000-2004 for transport, fisheries and animal husbandry. She became MLA from 2004 to 2009.
Born on June 20, 1958 in a tribal family in Mayurbhanj district, Murmu started her career as a school teacher and joined in a class III job in the State secretariat.
The Opposition parties announced former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha as candidate for the post of President. June 29 is the last date for filing nomination for the Presidential poll, while voting will take place on July 18. Counting of votes will take place on July 21.