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Presidential election: Droupadi Murmu to visit Lucknow, SBSP skips meeting for opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha
Droupadi Murmu would be welcomed by chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, among others, in Lucknow.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strategists got ready to extend a warm welcome to National Democratic Alliance (NDA) presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, who arrives in Lucknow on Friday. On the eve of her visit, a key ally of the main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) remained away when joint opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha visited the Uttar Pradesh state capital on Thursday.
Based on numbers of the BJP and its allies, Murmu, a former Jharkhand governor who hails from a tribal community, is set for a comfortable win in the July 18 presidential polls.
The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), a key ally of the Samajwadi Party stayed out of the meeting that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav organised to welcome Sinha.
“We weren’t invited and hence we didn’t go to the SP office. We are a key ally and hence should have been invited,” said Arun Rajbhar, the general secretary of SBSP.
“We will take a decision on presidential polls at our own time,” he added.
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has already announced support to Murmu.
For his part, Yashwant Sinha told newspersons that he had “influence” in many parties, including BJP, his former party. Yet on the ground, the BJP think tank was preparing to project that while the opposition unity in U.P. was in tatters, the ruling dispensation had no such problems.
Both BJP and Samajwadi Party put up hoardings of the presidential candidates they were backing.
The BJP looked to use the occasion to connect afresh with Dalit and tribal communities.
“At the airport too, the members of the SC/ST wing would be present in good numbers to welcome Murmu who is expected to arrive on Friday afternoon,” a party leader said.
“The BJP and allies would be present when presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu arrives in Lucknow,” a senior BJP functionary said. Murmu would be welcomed by chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, among others.
Party allies, including U.P. minister and Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Ashish Patel, Nishad party leader and U.P. minister Sanjay Nishad, among others, would be present on the occasion.
While Murmu is expected to meet BJP and its allies in the state capital, those aware of the situation said she could even meet some opposition leaders to appeal to them to support her candidature.
From the airport, Murmu is expected to reach the VVIP guest house at the Butler Palace and from there she would move to Lok Bhavan where in front of the ruling party and its allies, Murmu is expected to make her point on the presidential elections and reach out to all the parties.
Uttar Pradesh has 14.88% of the total votes to be polled in the presidential election.
Members of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha vote in these elections.
The value of one vote of an MLA is 208 and that of each MP is 700. The BJP and its allies have 273 MLAs in the U.P. assembly and unlike the opposition camp, the ruling bloc is projecting a picture of unity.
“We thank BSP for supporting us and appeal to the SP and the Congress to back the first woman from tribal community for the post of country’s President,” said U.P. minister Dharampal Singh.
