Droupadi Murmu's nomination a strong signal of solidarity with STs: Himachal CM

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, June 24

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday said the nomination of Droupadi Murmu, the first-ever tribal leader, for the post of President would signal the empowerment of the marginalised as mandated by the Constitution and is truly historic.

Although the decision should not be seen from a political prism since the office of the President is above partisan issues, the fact that is the nomination of a tribal woman, who endured adversities will indeed send a strong message of the govt’s solidarity with the STs and, to that extent, there, of course, is political signalling which is very positive. Jai Ram Thakur, CM

Thakur was in New Delhi along with the CMs of all NDA-ruled states to participate in the nomination filing process of the ruling combine’s presidential nominee. Himachal MLAs and MPs signed one of the four sets of nomination papers.

Speaking to The Tribune exclusively after the conclusion of the process, Thakur said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing NDA leaders and CMs this morning, described the day as “unique and one that will be remembered in the annals of the history for a long time to come.”

Thakur said Murmu had said she was sitting at her Mayurbhanj home in Odisha, relaxed and unaware of the PM’s decision to nominate her to run for the President’s office.

“She told us today that she did not know how to react when she first heard this news. She had no inkling of the decision about the presidential nomination just as she was pleasantly surprised when previously named the first woman Governor of Jharkhand,” Thakur told The Tribune, quoting Murmu.

The Chief Minister said Himachal and Haryana MLAs together signed the third set of papers for Murmu, while the other three were signed by Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda and Gujarat MPs and MLAs. Both Himachal and Gujarat go to the polls later this year.

Asked if the decision about Murmu would benefit the BJP electorally in Himachal, Thakur said, “Although this decision should not be seen from a political prism since the office of the President is above partisan issues, the fact is that the nomination of a tribal woman, who endured great adversities, will indeed send a strong message of the government’s solidarity with the STs and, to that extent, there, of course, is political signalling which is very positive.”

Thakur also hailed Murmu for calling up Congress president Sonia Gandhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar for support, saying, “The NDA candidate showed grace. As a contestant in the election, it is her right to reach out to members of the electoral college for support. It would have been better had the Opposition backed the election of India’s first tribal presidential nominee unanimously. But in a democracy, they have every right to contest.”

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