The presidential candidate of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Droupadi Murmu, on Monday called on JMM president Shibu Soren and his son and chief minister Hemant Soren, seeking their support in the election for the top constitutional post in the country.
Murmu, a former Governor of Jharkhand, was accompanied by union ministers Arjun Munda, Arjun Meghwal and Annapurna Devi and Jharkhand BJP chief Deepak Prakash, when she met the Sorens at the CM House during her one-day trip to Ranchi, JMM sources said.
Earlier in the day, Murmu attended a function in Ranchi where she sought support from elected representatives of NDA constituents, BJP and AJSU Party.
“The presidential candidate today met party president Shibu Soren and appealed for the party’s support in election,” the JMM said in a statement, without revealing the party’s decision over the issue.
The JMM, which has been caught in a bind over its choice for the presidential election, was among the 17 opposition parties to nominate former union minister Yashwant Sinha as their presidential candidate.
However, BJP’s decision to name Droupadi Murmu, a tribal from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj, as the NDA candidate complicated the situation for the Shibu Soren-led JMM in Jharkhand, which came to power in 2019 due to strong support for the ruling coalition in Jharkhand’s tribal-dominated regions. Of JMM’s 30 legislators, 19 are from the scheduled tribes community.
{{/usCountry}}However, BJP’s decision to name Droupadi Murmu, a tribal from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj, as the NDA candidate complicated the situation for the Shibu Soren-led JMM in Jharkhand, which came to power in 2019 due to strong support for the ruling coalition in Jharkhand’s tribal-dominated regions. Of JMM’s 30 legislators, 19 are from the scheduled tribes community.
{{/usCountry}}The ruling JMM has 30 legislators in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, and has one Lok Sabha and two Rajya Sabha members. JMM’s ally Congress has 18 legislators, besides one Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha member each, from the state, while the third ruling partner, RJD, has one legislator. NCP and CPI (ML) have one member each in the assembly, which also has two Independents. In the opposition camp, BJP has 25 legislators, 12 Lok Sabha members and three Rajya Sabha members from the state.
‘My roots linked to Jharkhand’
Earlier in the day, in her meeting with elected representatives of BJP and AJSU Party, Murmu recalled her “roots” with Jharkhand and her days the state’s Governor for six years.
“She appeared very emotional. She said her grand mother hailed from Jharkhand and she has special connection with the state,” said BJP legsilator Bhanu Pratap Shahi.
Shahi said Murmu also shared her experience about her first meeting with PM Narendra Modi after being named as the presidential nominee. “She recalled how the PM calmed her anxiety about whether she would be able to do justice with such a top constitutional post. The PM told her she did a wonderful job as Jharkhand governor for so long and would deliver as President as well. He told her people of the country and situation would be her best guides in discharging her duty,” said Shahi.