Congress ally JMM, other parties back Droupadi Murmu for President

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), on Thursday, announced its support for National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

JMM being an ally of the Indian National Congress, extended its support to the presidential candidate after she visited Jharkhand seeking the party’s support.

“For the first time after Independence, a tribal woman is going to get the distinction of becoming the President. Therefore, after due deliberation, the party decides to vote in favour of Ms. Droupadi Murmu,” said JMM chief Shibu Soren.

Over the past few weeks, the NDA candidate has received support from numerous parties who are part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

One such is Uddhav Thackeray’s, Shiv Sena.

On Monday, 11 out of the 13 MPs from Sena who attended a meeting called by Thackeray, pitched for a rapprochement between the party and the rebel faction led by Shinde. Supporting Murmu would be part of this effort, people aware of the matter said. The next day, Sena chief addressing a press briefing announced his support for her. Thackeray insisted that this decision was not made under pressure and that he is “not so small-minded” to not support a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate.

Similarly, Andhra Pradesh’s ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and rival Telegu Desam Party, also agreed on Murmu’s nomination. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said that the party is committed to social justice resulting in them supporting the tribal leader for the top post.

Likewise, Punjab’s Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), having two MPs in the Lok Sabha and three MLAs in Punjab also extended their support to Murmu in early July when BJP president JP Nadda reached out to the party president Sukhbir Singh Badal to support NDA’s nomination.

“She (Murmu) has emerged as a symbol of the poor and tribal segments in the country,” reads a resolution passed by the SAD’s top leadership after a three-hour-long meeting at the party’s headquarters.

Badal added, despite the two parties’ political differences, “we have decided to choose the right path”.

Earlier, SAD had cut ties with the saffron party over the farm laws.

The presidential election is scheduled for July 18. A combined 17 opposition parties have nominated former Union minister Yashwant Singh as their presidential candidate, as the NDA fielded Droupadi Murmu, a tribal from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj, as their candidate.