First tribal and second woman to become Commander-in-Chief
PM Modi calls Droupadi Murmu a ‘ray of hope’
New Delhi: Droupadi Murmu, 64, scripted history on Thursday by becoming India’s first tribal President in the one-sided contest. She won by an overwhelming margin against opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha after receiving over 64 percent of valid votes in a day-long counting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the President-elect and congratulated her. “India scripts history,” PM Modi said. On behalf of the people of the United States, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi tweeted to congratulate the President-elect.
Murmu will take oath on July 25 to become India’s 15th president.
Celebrations broke out outside NDA Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu’s two-story house in Odisha’s Rairangpur as she created history by getting elected as India’s first tribal President and the youngest ever to hold the highest constitutional office in the country.
A group of people was seen dancing outside Murmu’s house. Some men held colored balloons and young girls held hands and danced in circles. The joyous celebrations are expected to continue as counting progresses.
Residents of Murmu’s hometown have got 20,000 sweets prepared to celebrate her victory, along with tribal dances and victory processions.
Murmu will take oath on July 25, a day after incumbent Ram Nath Kovind’s term expires. She will become only the second woman after Pratibha Patil to be elected the first citizen of the country.
NDA’s choice of Murmu – a tribal woman from Odisha and a former Jharkhand Governor – worked as a move to split the Opposition and bring support from non-aligned parties, such as Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal and Jaganmohan Reddy’s YSR Congress.
