Draupadi Murmu: The many firsts and how BJP led NDA gains from her candidature

Prior to joining politics, she served as the honorary assistant teacher in Shri Aravindo Integral Education and Research, Rairangpur, and also as junior assistant in Irrigation Department.

New Delhi, Jun 22: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced on Tuesday that Draupadi Murmu would be its presidential candidate. In her candidature the BJP led NDA has many advantages.

Murmu hails from Odisha and has been the tribal face of the party in the national level for many years.

She is also the first woman leader from Odisha to be appointed as Governor. She began her political career in 1997 when she was elected councilor in the Rajrangpur district in Odisha. She was elected as MLA from the same constituency in 2000.

Prior to joining politics, she served as the honorary assistant teacher in Shri Aravindo Integral Education and Research, Rairangpur, and also as junior assistant in Irrigation Department.

She was also the National Executive Member of the ST Morcha of the BJP till 2009. Between 2000 and 2004, she held many ministerial portfolios in the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal government, having departments like Transport and Commerce along with Fisheries and Animal Husbandry under her supervision.

She was awarded the Nilakantha Award for best MLA of the year by the Odisha Assembly.

She also served as BJP district president of Mayurbhanj from 2002 to 2009 and also in 2013. She continued in that post until took over as the Governor of Jharkhand.

Murmu's candidature would also give the BJP an edge in the Presidential elections to be held in July.

The BJD would support Murmu's candidature if she is chosen. Moreover the joint opposition would also find it hard to vote against her.

Murmu's appointment as the Governor in 2015 was seen as a masterstroke by the BJP. It came at a time when tribal factions who were opposing the appointment of Raghubar Das, a non-tribal, as Chief Minister of the state, were promised to have voice through the Murmu's appointment.

The BJP feels in selecting Murmu, they would begin the Presidential poll campaign on an advantageous note. BJP sources tell OneIndia that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had himself suggested the name of Murmu to be the next President of India.

Draupadi Murmu: The many firsts:

If elected, she would be India's first tribal President

She is the second woman President of India

Hailing from a humble background she was the first tribal leader from Odisha to be appointed as Governor of any state

She is the longest reigning and only Governor of Jharkhand to complete a full tenure of 6 years plus

She is the first woman Governor of Jharkhand

She is the first woman and tribal leader from Odisha to be appointed as Governor of any state