Droupadi Murmu elected India's first tribal president

Droupadi Murmu, the first tribal leader and the former Jharkhand governor was elected as the India's next President to occupy the country's highest constitutional office.

Murmu, 64, a ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate secured over 50 percent vote value after three rounds of counting. Opposition candidate and former union

minister Yashwant Sinha is far behind in terms of securing votes.

Murmu had already secured over 53 percent of the total valid votes even as ballots from 10 states and union territories were being counted, Returning Officer for the poll PC Mody said.

Official announcement of her win is expected after all votes are counted in the presidential polls held on July 18.

Around 4,800 members of India's parliament and legislative assembly cast their votes this week to elect the 15th president.

 

With her election, she will be the second woman president after Prativha Patil, who served as the 12th President of India from July 2007 to July 2012.

Murmu, who belongs to the forest dependent Santhal tribe of the Indian state of Odisha, is set to take oath as the 15th President of the world's second largest democracy on July 25, a day

after President Ram Nath Kovind tenure ends.

Celebrations are on across the country including the hometown of Ms. Murmu in Odisha while Delhi BJP organised a roadshow after Ms Murmu's victory from the party headquarters to

Rajpath.

Murmu started out as a teacher before entering state politics. She has been a legislator twice as BJP nominee in 2000 and 2009. In 2015, Murmu was appointed as the first female

governor of the eastern state of Jharkhand and holding the position until July 2021.

The president of India is elected indirectly through an electoral college, which comprises members of parliament of both houses and members of legislative assemblies of all states and

union territories. The nominated members are unable to vote.

 

The electoral college for the presidential election comprises 543 Lok Sabha, 233 Rajya Sabha and 4,033 members of legislative assemblies in the states.

The total value of the parliamentarians' votes is 5,43,200, and that of assembly members 5,43,231- totalling 1086431.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with senior members of his cabinet and BJP Chief J P Nadda visited Droupadi Murmu at her temporary lodgings in Teen Murti Marg to congratulate

her on her election as the next president of India.

Immediately after the results announced, opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha congratulated the President elect Droupadi Murmu. "I join my fellow citizens in congratulating Smt Droupadi

Murmu on her victory in the Presidential Election 2022," he tweeted.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Ms. Droupadi Mumu on her election as the next President of India.

Besides, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also congratulated Droupadi Murmu on her election as the 15th President of India. Messages are also coming in to congratulate

the Indian new President.