Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday backed Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.Addressing a press conference, Mayawati said the BSP has taken this decision neither in support of BJP or NDA nor against opposition but keeping her party and movement in mind."We have decided to support NDA's Presidential election candidate Droupadi Murmu. We have taken this decision neither in support of BJP or NDA nor against opposition but keeping our party and movement in mind," said the BSP chief.The BSP chief further said that she was not invited to the meeting chaired by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to elect an opposition candidate for the Presidential election. "Mamata Banerjee invited only selected parties in the meeting she called on June 15 to elect an opposition candidate for the Presidential election and when Sharad Pawar called a meeting on June 21, then also BSP was not invited. It shows their casteism motives," she added.This comes after, Murmu on Friday spoke to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and NCP chief Sharad Pawar.According to the sources, Mamata did not make any commitment to Murmu but wished her all the best for the election.BJP president JP Nadda also spoke to Sonia Gandhi and HD Deve Gowda for unanimous support for the NDA's presidential candidate in the upcoming election, according to sources.On the other hand, Yashwant Sinha has been nominated as the presidential candidate of the opposition.Meanwhile, Murmu filed her nomination papers at the Parliament Library Building in the national capital on Friday.Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed her name for the nomination, which was seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The second set of proposers were the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, the third proposers were MLAs and MPs from Himachal and Haryana and the fourth set were MLAs and MPs from Gujarat.Droupadi Murmu, who was declared BJP-led NDA's presidential candidate, is a former Governor of Jharkhand and a former Odisha minister.If elected, she will be the first tribal President of India and the country's second female President.Droupadi Murmu is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance. She continues to break barriers and was the first woman governor of Jharkhand. She served as Jharkhand Governor from 2015 to 2021.&nbsp;—ANI

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday backed Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

'Neither Supporting BJP Nor Against Oppn, Decision Keeping BSP In Mind': Mayawati Backs NDA's Presidential Candidate Murmu

Lucknow: Another case has been filed against filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma for his controversial tweet on NDA's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu.The FIR has been lodged at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on the complaint of a social worker, Manoj Singh.Earlier, a case was registered against Varma in Telangana in connection with the controversial tweet.In his complaint, Singh said, "...Varma had tweeted from his official twitter handle that 'If Draupadi is the President who are the Pandavas? And more importantly, who are the Kauravas?' The tweet is a deliberate attempt to vitiate the atmosphere which may lead to untoward incidents."The complainant said that religious sentiments were also hurt as the tweet portrayed the characters of the Mahabharata in a bad light and added that the post was also "humiliating for a woman".Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), Central zone, Raghvendra Mishra, said on Tuesday that a case had been registered."Varma has been booked under sections 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 504 (intentional insult), 505 1(b) (cause fear or alarm to the public), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and also under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act," the ADCP said.He further said, "A probe will be conducted and statements of the filmmaker will be taken."After facing flak for his tweet, the filmmaker had clarified, "This was said just in an earnest irony and not intended in any other way. Draupadi in Mahabharata is my favourite character but since the name is such a rarity, I just remembered the associated characters and hence my expression. Not at all intended to hurt sentiments of anyone." —IANS

Another case has been filed against filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma for his controversial tweet on NDA's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu.

UP Police Books RGV Over Controversial Tweet On Draupadi Murmu

Lucknow: NDA's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu will visit Lucknow on July 8 to muster electoral support from the country's largest state.According to sources, Draupadi Murmu will meet the MLAs and MPs of BJP as well as allies here. Apart from this, she will also seek support from non-BJP parties.Being the largest province of the country, Uttar Pradesh will play a key role in the presidential election. The value of one vote of an MLA is 208 and that of one MP is 700. The value of votes of 273 MLAs of the BJP and its allies and 66 Lok Sabha and 25 Rajya Sabha MPs is about 1.21 lakhs.Uttar Pradesh, therefore, has 14.88 per cent of the total votes of 10,86,431 people's representatives across the country.Former Jharkhand Governor and tribal leader Draupadi Murmu has been nominated by the NDA. The opposition has nominated Yashwant Sinha, ex-Trinamool leader and former Union Minister. —IANS

 NDA's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu will visit Lucknow on July 8 to muster electoral support from the country's largest state.

Presidential Poll: Draupadi Murmu To Campaign In UP On July 8

Kurali (The Hawk):&nbsp;Ahead of the crucial presidential elections which will take place on July 18, the BJP continues to reach out to various political parties seeking support for the NDA's presidential candidate, Droupadi Murmu. In line with this outreach initiative, BJP national president JP Nadda dialed the party's former ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal seeking support for Murmu's candidature.It may be noted that BJP and SAD were together for over 25 years. However, SAD left the BJP-NDA government over three farm laws, which were withdrawn a year later. Both parties also separately contested the Punjab Assembly elections held earlier this year.Nadda held a telephonic conversation with Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury; Janata Dal (S) leader HD Deve Gowda; and National Conference chief Dr Farooq Abdullah last week. NDA's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu submitted her nomination papers on June 24 and was supported by several parties including YSR Congress and Biju Janta Dal.The presidential elections will take place on July 18 and the results will be declared on July 21. Murmu filed her nomination papers at the Parliament Library Building in the national capital on June 24. Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed her name for the nomination, which was seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.The second set of proposers were the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, the third proposers were MLAs and MPs from Himachal and Haryana and the fourth set were MLAs and MPs from Gujarat.PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda, Union ministers and BJP leaders Gen VK Singh (Retd), Bhupender Yadav and Giriraj Singh were present at the Parliament during her nomination filing. Droupadi Murmu, who was declared BJP-led NDA's presidential candidate, is a former Governor of Jharkhand and a former Odisha minister.She will face opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in the presidential contest on July 18.If elected, she will be the first tribal President of India and the country's second female President. Droupadi Murmu is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance.She continues to break barriers and was the first woman Governor of Jharkhand. She was born in a poor tribal family in a village of Mayurbhanj, a backward district in Odisha, Droupadi Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances.She taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur. She started her political career as Rairangpur NAC vice-chairman. Droupadi Murmu was a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Rairangpur between 2000 and 2004. As a minister, she held portfolios of Transport and Commerce, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. She again served as MLA in the Odisha assembly from 2004 to 2009.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;—HB

Ahead of the crucial presidential elections which will take place on July 18, the BJP continues to reach out to various political parties seeking support for the NDA's presidential candidate, Droupadi Murmu. In line with this outreach initiative, BJP national president JP Nadda dialed the party's former ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal seeking support for Murmu's candidature.

Nadda Dials SAD's Sukhbir Badal To Seek Support For NDA's Presidential Candidate Droupadi Murmu

KOLKATA :&nbsp;National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu is likely to visit Kolkata on Saturday to seek support for her candidature.During her day-long visit, she will have a close-door meeting with 69 elected party legislators in the state. The state BJP leadership has deliberately kept the party MLA from Bhatpara Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district, Pawan Singh out of that list, state BJP sources said. Singh is the son of erstwhile BJP Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district Arjun Singh, who has recently gone back to the camp of his old party, Trinamool Congress.A state committee member of BJP told IANS, on condition of anonymity, till the time Arjun Singh joined Trinamool Congress, Pawan Singh is yet to make his official stand clear on whether he will be with BJP or follow the footsteps of his father. In such a situation, the state BJP leadership thought it wise to keep him out of the list of MLAs who will be having the meeting with NDA’s presidential candidate.The leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari has instructed all the MLAs concerned to be present at the MLA Hostel in central Kolkata by 7.30 a.m. on Saturday, so that they can be taken directly from there to a hotel at New Town in the northern outskirts of Kolkata, where the said meeting will start from 9 a.m. The party MLAs staying out of Kolkata have been asked to reach the city by Friday night.In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls, a total of 77 BJP candidates got elected. However, currently, the number is reduced to 70 as a number of MLAs have joined Trinamool Congress, although officially as per official records of the state Assembly they continue to be BJP legislators.However, party sources said that in all probability, 68 party MLAs will be present at the meeting, since BJP legislator and former chief economic advisor of the country Ashok Lahiri might not be able to attend the meeting on health grounds and currently he is out of town for treatment purposes.There is a possibility that Murmu might go to the state assembly. Although nothing has been confirmed from the chief minister’s office as yet, there is also a faint possibility of Murmu’s meeting with the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee. Recently, the chief minister said that she could have taken a positive approach about Draupadi Murmu had BJP informed her about the choice before. IANS

There is a possibility that Murmu might go to the state assembly. Although nothing has been confirmed from the chief minister’s office as yet, there is also a faint possibility of Murmu’s meeting with the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee.

Draupadi Murmu likely to visit Kolkata on Saturday for campaigning

Dehradun: NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu will visit Uttarakhand for mustering support from the state.According to the schedule, she will reach Dehradun on July 11 and meet senior BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to ensure her victory in the poll. Meanwhile, preparations have started from the BJP organization for her visit to Dehradun.Droupadi Murmu was a national executive member of BJP's ST Morcha from 2013 to 2015 and served as BJP district chief of Mayurbhanj (West) in 2010 and 2013. Between 2006 and 2009, she was chief of BJP's ST Morcha in Odisha. She was a member of the national executive of BJP ST Morcha from 2002 to 2009. The voting for the next President of India will kick start on July 18 while counting will take place on July 21.Murmu is the first major tribal female Presidential candidate in India's history. Once elected, she will be the first tribal President of India and the second-ever female President.She is the first major Presidential candidate from Odisha and once elected, she will be the first from the state of Odisha.&nbsp;—ANI

NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu will visit Uttarakhand for mustering support from the state.According to the schedule, she will reach Dehradun on July 11 and meet senior BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to ensure her victory in the poll. Meanwhile, preparations have started from the BJP organization for her visit to Dehradun.

NDA Presidential Candidate Droupadi Murmu To Visit Uttarakhand On July 11

Bhubaneswar : National Democratic Alliance (NDA) presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu on Friday met Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and MPs to seek their support for July 18 poll. Murmu, who hails from Odisha, held a discussion with the BJD MLAs and MPs in the conference hall of the Odisha Assembly here. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also attended the meeting.BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo said the Chief Minister has already announced to support Murmu for the presidential elections and all irrespective of political affiliation should support her. "Murmu had tied Rakshi to Naveen Patnaik. So, they have a brother-sister relationship. Before her (Murmu) request for support, our CM had extended wholehearted support to her in this election," said senior BJD MLA Pramilla Mallick.After meeting the BJD lawmakers, the NDA nominee met BJP legislators and MPs from Odisha at the state guest house. "We are very happy that Draupadi apa, the daughter of the soil, will go to Raisina hills. We had a healthy discussion," said Bishnu Sethi, deputy leader of BJP in the state Assembly. Murmu had lunch with the Chief Minister at the latter's residence, Naveen Niwas, after meeting BJP and BJD MPs and MLAs separately. She was accompanied by Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat. BJD MP from Puri, Pinaki Misra also attended the lunch. Earlier, Murmu was accorded a grand reception at Bhubaneswar airport. Murmu is the first woman and a tribal leader from Odisha to be appointed a Governor in an Indian state. If elected, she will be the first tribal President and the second-ever female President. -- IANS

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu on Friday met Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and MPs to seek their support for July 18 poll. Murmu, who hails from Odisha, held a discussion with the BJD MLAs and MPs in the conference hall of the Odisha Assembly here. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also attended the meeting.

 Presidential poll: Murmu meets BJD, BJP lawmakers in Odisha

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) : In an indication of a rift inside the Opposition in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party chief&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/akhilesh-yadav" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Akhilesh Yadav</a>'s uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav along with Om Prakash Rajbhar, who is an ally of the SP, have extended their support to NDA-backed presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohiya) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav, who had patched up with his nephew ahead of the Assembly polls on Saturday said that the SP was weakening and several of its leaders were quitting due to the "political immaturity" of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/akhilesh-yadav" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Akhilesh Yadav</a> .Shivpal's remarks came a day after, he attended a dinner party hosted by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for Murmu at his official residence in Lucknow. The dinner was attended by opposition party leaders Jansatta Dal leader Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias 'Raja Bhaiya', BSP leader Uma Shankar Singh .Speaking to ANI, Shivpal said that extended his support to the NDA Presidential candidate and said that he has decided to vote for her."I had already said that I am going to vote for the one who asks for it. Samajwadi Party neither called me, nor asked for my vote. CM Yogi Adityanath invited me yesterday where I met NDA's Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu and decided to vote for her," said PSP chief.<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/akhilesh-yadav" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Akhilesh Yadav</a>&nbsp;and his estranged uncle had resolved their differences ahead of the Assembly elections and Shivpal had contested and won on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket. Shivpal apparently is miffed with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/akhilesh-yadav" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Akhilesh Yadav</a>&nbsp;for not inviting him to party meetings and not seeking his advice.Shivpal further said that he was not even invited to the meeting with Opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha."Due to a lack of political maturity in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/akhilesh-yadav" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Akhilesh Yadav</a>, Samajwadi Party is becoming weak and several leaders are quitting the party. I am not invited to party meetings. I was not even invited to the meeting with opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha," he said.SP had said that it will support Yashwant Sinha named as the common Opposition candidate for the upcoming presidential electionMeanwhile, Shivpal Yadav has held responsible&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/akhilesh-yadav" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Akhilesh Yadav</a>&nbsp;for ruptures in the alliances with other parties."If (<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/akhilesh-yadav" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-decoration-line: none; cursor: pointer; font-family: MontserratMedium, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17.18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; white-space: normal;">Akhilesh Yadav</a>) took my suggestions seriously, the condition of the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh would be completely different. Several alliances of SP are now leaving them and the reason is the political immaturity of the SP chief," he added.Apart from Shivpal Yadav and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, Jansatta Dal Loktantrik founder Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias 'Raja Bhaiya' and the lone Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA in Uttar Pradesh, Uma Shankar Singh were also seen at the dinner party.&nbsp; (ANI)

In an indication of a rift inside the Opposition in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav along with Om Prakash Rajbhar, who is an ally of the SP, have extended their support to NDA-backed presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

Feted by Yogi at dinner for Droupadi Murmu, Shivpal targets nephew Akhilesh for 'political immaturity'

Amaravati: The Telugu Desam Party on Monday announced its support to NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu announced this at a meeting of the party’s strategy committee, a release here said. “The TDP always stood for social justice. It had in the past supported K R Narayanan and A P J Abdul Kalam for the President’s post,” Naidu said. In the same spirit they were extending support to Murmu, the first Adivasi woman chosen for the highest constitutional post.The TDP has one member in the Rajya Sabha, three members in Lok Sabha and 23 members in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Earlier, the ruling YSRC Party had announced its support to Murmu.—PTI&nbsp;

 The Telugu Desam Party on Monday announced its support to NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

TDP To Support Droupadi Murmu In President Poll

Mumbai: Thirteen of the 18 Lok Sabha MPs of the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra on Monday physically attended a key meeting on the presidential elections and a majority of them suggested supporting the BJP-led NDA’s candidate Droupadi Murmu, party leader Gajanan Kiritkar said.However, party MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut claimed of the 18 MPs in the Lok Sabha, 15 attended the meeting held at ‘Matoshree’, the private residence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in suburban Bandra. He did not provide details.Besides 18 Lok Sabha members in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena also has its MP, Kalaben Delkar, in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.Kiritkar said 13 MPs physically attended the meeting, while three others — Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Mandlik and Hemant Patil — could not make it to the gathering, but affirmed their support to the leadership.“Most of the MPs were of the opinion that the party should support Droupadi Murmu,” Kirtikar told PTI.Two Lok Sabha MPs of the Sena – Bhawana Gawali and Shrikant Shinde (son of Chief minister Eknath Shinde) – did not attend the meeting, he added.The presidential elections will be held on July 18.—PTI&nbsp;

Thirteen of the 18 Lok Sabha MPs of the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra on Monday physically attended a key meeting on the presidential elections and a majority of them suggested supporting the BJP-led NDA’s candidate Droupadi Murmu, party leader Gajanan Kiritkar said.

13 Sena MPs Attend Prez Poll Meet; Most Back Murmu

New Delhi :&nbsp;The BJP on Wednesday castigated the Congress for its leader Ajoy Kumar's objectionable comment against NDA's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu saying this is how the grand-old party insults India's first woman tribal president candidate.As per reports, former Lok Sabha Member and Congress leader had said: "Draupadi Murmu is a decent person but she represents a very evil philosophy of India. We should not make Draupadi Murmu ji the symbol of adivasis. Ram Nath Kovind is the President and Hathras happened, did he say a word? The condition of Scheduled Caste has become worse."Slamming the Congress, national in-charge of BJP Information and Technology Department Amit Malviya tweeted: "At a time when the NDA, led by PM Modi, has announced Smt Draupadi Murmu, a woman from Adivasi samaj, as it's nominee for the President's office, a move that will significantly empower the Tribals, Congress leader calls her evil by association! Just because she is a Tribal. Shame."Sharing a video of Kumar, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said: "Ajoy kumar #Congress Droupadi Murmu represents a very evil philosophy so we should not make her as a symbol of "adivasi". After calling Droupadi ji "dummy candidate" (Puducherry Cong handle) now this! This is how Congress insults India's first woman tribal president candidate."What evil philosophy does Droupadi Murmu represent? The fact that she rose up from grassroots by sheer hard work and commitment? That she broke barriers of socio economic circumstances &amp; served as MLA, Minister &amp; Jharkhand Governor in an effective manner? Deplorable mindset," Poonawalla said.Another BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said: "Saying NDA presidential candidate is an evil force is not healthy politics and people of this country repeatedly rejected it. By making such a comment Congress party is demeaning the office of President. I request Congress to not destroy the reputation of an institution." --- IANS

The BJP on Wednesday castigated the Congress for its leader Ajoy Kumar's objectionable comment against NDA's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu saying this is how the grand-old party insults India's first woman tribal president candidate.

BJP slams Congress for its leader’s objectionable remark against Draupadi Murmu

Mumbai: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena's support to the National Democratic Alliance's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu has created a possibility of rapprochement with the Eknath Shinde faction as well as former ally Bharatiya Janata Party, political observers feel.By breaking ranks with his Maha Vikas Aghadi allies, Thackeray has shown that he can leave the MVA altogether, said a Mumbai-based political leader. ''Support to Murmu keeps the door open for a future reconciliation and rapprochement,” he said. Thackeray fell out with the BJP over the Maharashtra chief minister's post after the 2019 Assembly elections.But there are others who feel that Thackeray's support to Murmu was not so much an olive branch to the BJP as a decision forced by his party's MPs. When majority of Sena MLAs led by Shinde rebelled against Thackeray's leadership last month, they claimed that they wanted revival of the "natural alliance" with the BJP.&nbsp;After the Uddhav Thackeray government collapsed (Contd On P 2)

 The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena's support to the National Democratic Alliance's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu has created a possibility of rapprochement with the Eknath Shinde faction as well as former ally Bharatiya Janata Party, political observers feel.

Will Supporting Murmu Lead To BJP-Sena Patchup?

New Delhi: The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar has announced that he and his party MLAs will vote for the NDA presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu.The SBSP has six MLAs in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.The announcement by SBSP is a major jolt for the Samajwadi Party which is losing allies, one after another.Rajbhar said that he had taken the decision after talking to Union Home Minister Amit Shah."I have informed Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath about my decision," he added.Abbas Ansari, son of Mukhtar Ansari, who is also a SBSP MLA, said that he will also vote for Draupadi Murmu. —IANS

The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar has announced that he and his party MLAs will vote for the NDA presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu.

SBSP Ditches Akhilesh, To Vote For Murmu In Prez Poll

New Delhi: Nearly 4,800 elected MPs and MLAs will vote on Monday to elect the 15th President of India, with National Democratic Alliance candidate Droupadi Murmu having a clear edge over Opposition's Yashwant Sinha as over 60 per cent votes are expected to be cast in her favour.The polling will take place in Parliament House and state legislative assemblies for which ballot boxes have already reached their destinations.The counting of votes will take place at Parliament House on July 21 and the next President will take oath on July 25.With the support of regional parties such as the Biju Janata Dal, the YSR Congress Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Telugu Desam Party, the Janata Dal-Secular, teh Shiromani Akali Dal, the Shiv Sena and now the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Murmu's vote share is likely to reach nearly two-thirds and she is set to become the first woman from the tribal community to occupy the top constitutional post.The National Democratic Alliance nominee now has over 6.67 lakh votes after the support of various regional parties, out of a total of 10,86,431 votes.The electoral college which elects the president through the system of proportional representation comprises elected MPs and members of state legislative assemblies. Nominated MPs and MLAs, and members of legislative councils are not entitled to vote in this election.The value of the vote of a member of Parliament has gone down to 700 from 708 in this presidential poll due to the absence of a legislative assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.In states, the value of vote of each MLA varies in different states. In Uttar Pradesh, the value of vote of each MLA stands at 208, followed by 176 in Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. In Maharashtra, it is 175. In Sikkim, the value of vote per MLA is seven, while it is nine in Nagaland and eight in Mizoram.Before naming Sinha, a former Union minister and a BJP leader, the opposition camp had approached Gopalkrishna Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and a former governor of West Bengal, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah to contest the poll.After their refusal to be part of the electoral battle, Sinha, then the Trinamool Congress vice president, was named as the opposition's candidate.The election of the President is held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote.In accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote, every elector can mark as many preferences, as there are candidates contesting the election.These preferences for the candidates are to be marked by the elector, by placing the figures 1,2,3, 4, 5 and so on, against the names of the candidates, in the order of preference, in the space provided in column 2 of the ballot paper.This is the reason why electronic voting machines are not used in this as well as vice presidential, Rajya Sabha and legislative council polls. The EVMs are based on a technology where they work as aggregator of votes in direct elections such as the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.According to Election Commission's directions, while MPs will get a green-coloured ballot paper, the MLAs will get a pink ballot paper to cast vote. Separate colours help the returning officer ascertain the value of vote of each MLA and MP.Seeking to maintain secrecy of voting, the EC has issued a specially designed pen with violet ink to enable voters mark their ballot papers in the presidential poll.—PTI

Nearly 4,800 elected MPs and MLAs will vote on Monday to elect the 15th President of India, with National Democratic Alliance candidate Droupadi Murmu having a clear edge over Opposition's Yashwant Sinha as over 60 per cent votes are expected to be cast in her favour.

Prez Poll Today, Murmu Has Edge Over Sinha

New Delhi:&nbsp;Voting for the presidential election in which NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint opposition pick Yashwant Sinha began on Monday.Polling began at 10 am and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to cast his vote. The voting process would conclude at 5 pm.Nearly 4,800 elected MPs and MLAs are entitled to vote in the election, but nominated MPs and MLAs, and members of Legislative Councils are not.Besides Room number 63 on the first floor of Parliament House, which has been converted into a polling station, voting is simultaneously taking place at various state assemblies.In the national capital, voting is also underway at the Delhi legislative assembly.Counting of votes will be held on July 21.The system of secret ballot is followed in the presidential election, and parties cannot issue whips to their MPs and MLAs with regard to voting.The value of the vote of a Member of Parliament has gone down to 700 from 708 in this presidential poll due to the absence of a legislative assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.The value of vote of an MLA varies in different states. In Uttar Pradesh, the value of vote of each MLA stands at 208, followed by 176 in Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. In Maharashtra, it is 175. In Sikkim, the value of vote per MLA is seven, while it is nine in Nagaland and eight in Mizoram.In accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote, every elector can mark as many preferences, as there are candidates contesting the election.These preferences for the candidates are to be marked by the elector, by placing the figures 1,2,3, 4, 5 and so on, against the names of the candidates, in the order of preference, in the space provided in column 2 of the ballot paper.According to Election Commission's directions, while MPs will get a green-coloured ballot paper, the MLAs will get a pink ballot paper to cast their vote.Separate colours help the returning officer ascertain the value of vote of each MLA and MP.Seeking to maintain secrecy of voting, the EC has issued a specially designed pen with violet ink to enable voters mark their ballot papers in the presidential poll. —PTI

Voting for the presidential election in which NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint opposition pick Yashwant Sinha began on Monday.

Voting begins to elect India's 15th President

New Delhi: Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim created a flutter in political circles on Monday by announcing that he has voted in favour of NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu as she happened to be a “daughter of Odisha”.Immediately after exercising his franchise in the Assembly, the legislator from Cuttack-Barabati assembly segment said he went by his “conscience call”. “I am an Odia; I voted in favour of Droupadi Murmu as she is a daughter of Odisha. I went by my conscience. MLAs cannot be prevented from listening to their conscience,” Moquim stated.&nbsp;The Congress lawmaker also said that he had received phone calls from several eminent persons, including those staying abroad, requesting him to support the “daughter of the soil”. “People of Odisha will support my move. Murmu's victory will make me proud,” Moquim explained. Asked if he was under pressure from the ruling BJD, which has also pledged its support to Murmu, Moquim said, “It is my personal decision... there is no other reason.”Meanwhile, Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said all MLAs of the grand old party, including Moquim, had agreed to vote for joint opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha. Condemning Moquim's “change of stance”, Congress MLAs S S Saluja and Taraprasad Bahinipati said the Cuttack-Barabati MLA must have been unhappy in the party.“Everyone should have toed the party line. Many meetings were held and all MLAs of the party had given assurance that they would vote for Yashwant Sinha. We will bring the matter to the notice of party high command for necessary action,” Saluja maintained.OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak, too, said that he would apprise the party high command of this latest development.“I cannot say for sure what exactly prompted him to go against the party line,” he added.&nbsp;Voted according to my conscience, says Cong MLA Kuldeep BishnoiHaryana Congress MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi, who cross-voted in last month's Rajya Sabha polls, on Monday said he has voted according to his conscience in the presidential election too.Indicating that he had supported NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu rather than the opposition's Yashwant Sinha, Bishnoi said in Delhi, "Like in Rajya Sabha, I have cast my vote in this election too as per my conscience".When reporters asked about his future course of action, he said, "I will reveal that soon."Before the Rajya Sabha polls too, Bishnoi, the younger son of former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal, had said he would go by his conscience.Voting for the presidential election began at 10 am and was scheduled to end at 5 pm.The system of secret ballot is followed in the presidential election, and parties cannot issue whips to their MPs and MLAs.While other Haryana MLAs were exercising their franchise at the Vidhan Sabha complex in Chandigarh, Bishnoi had sought permission to cast his vote at Parliament House.The 53-year-old legislator from Adampur had met Shah and Nadda in New Delhi recently and later heaped praises on them.Bishnoi, a four-time MLA and a two-time MP, has been sulking ever since the Congress ignored him for the post of its Haryana unit chief during a revamp earlier this year.The party appointed Udai Bhan, a loyalist of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, as its Haryana president.Bishnoi was expelled from all party positions on June 11 for not following the party line in the Rajya Sabha elections."The Congress also has rules for some leaders and exceptions for others. Rules are applied selectively. Indiscipline has been repeatedly ignored in the past. In my case, I listened to my soul and acted on my morals," he had tweeted in response.Last month, Bishnoi said he was consulting his supporters to decide his next course of action.The Congress, which is the main opposition party in Haryana, was assured of one Rajya Sabha seat by virtue of the number of MLAs it has in the 90-member assembly.However, Congress candidate Ajay Maken failed to secure the berth after Bishnoi cross-voted, while another MLA's vote was declared invalid. BJP's Krishan Lal Panwar and the saffron party-backed Independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma were elected to the two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana.—PTI

 Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim created a flutter in political circles on Monday by announcing that he has voted in favour of NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu as she happened to be a “daughter of Odisha”.

President Poll: Cong MLAs Cross-Vote In Favour Of Murmu

Lucknow: Senior Samajwadi MLA Shivpal Yadav, on Monday, voted for NDA presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu, defying the party line.The Samajwadi Party is supporting the opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.Talking to reporters, Shivpal said: "Yashwant Sinha had once called Mulayam Singh Yadav an ISI agent and we can never support him. Hardcore SP leaders, those who follow Mulayam Singh's principles will never support a candidate who levelled such allegations. Shivpal had even written a letter to Akhilesh Yadav, asking him to reconsider support to Sinha.Another SP MLA Shahjeel Islam, the Samajwadi Party MLA from Bareilly, has also reportedly cross-voted in the Presidential election. He has cast his vote for Draupadi Murmu, whereas his party is backing Yashwant Sinha. Islam reached the Vidhan Bhawan, accompanied by Shivpal. —IANS

Senior Samajwadi MLA Shivpal Yadav, on Monday, voted for NDA presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu, defying the party line. The Samajwadi Party is supporting the opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

SP MLAs In UP Cross Vote In Presidential Poll

New Delhi: The NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu is leading with 540 of the 748 votes of the MPs, while Opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha has received 208 votes after the first round of counting, Returning Officer P C Mody said on Thursday. Votes of 15 MPs were declared invalid, he said, adding that all the votes of MPs have been counted. Eight MPs did not vote in the presidential election, Mody said. With each MP having a vote value of 700 in this presidential election, Murmu received a total of 5,23,600 votes which is 72.19 per cent of the total valid MP votes, indicating some cross-voting in her favour, officials said. Going by the strength of the parties who officially extended support to Murmu, she is estimated to have got votes of five to six more MPs. As many as 538 MPs of various parties had extended their support to Murmu ahead of the election, but a few of them did not vote. On the other hand, Sinha's total vote value stood at 1,45,600, which is 27.81 per cent of the total valid votes. The counting for the second round of votes of the MLAs has begun, officials said.—PTI

The NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu is leading with 540 of the 748 votes of the MPs, while Opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha has received 208 votes after the first round of counting, Returning Officer P C Mody said on Thursday.

Prez polls: Murmu leads after first round of counting

New Delhi: NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu secured victory in the Presidential poll on Thursday after the third round of counting as out of the 3,219 valid votes counted so far, she bagged 2,161 while Opposition's nominee Yashwant Sinha got 1,058. "I heartily congratulate Droupadi Murmu on her victory in the Presidential Election 2022. I hope -- indeed, every Indian hopes -- that as the 15th President of India, she functions as the Custodian of the Constitution without fear or favour. I join my fellow countrymen in extending best wishes to her," said Sinha who is backed by the Opposition parties.—IANS

NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu secured victory in the Presidential poll on Thursday after the third round of counting as out of the 3,219 valid votes counted so far, she bagged 2,161 while Opposition's nominee Yashwant Sinha got 1,058. "I heartily congratulate Droupadi Murmu on her victory in the Presidential Election 2022. 

Droupadi Murmu set to become India's next President

Droupadi Murmu, a tribal leader from Odisha has now become the first tribal President and second female President of India. As a tribal woman from remote Mayurbhanj district, she had never thought about becoming the President of India. Murmu comes from a discreet tribal community of Santhals. Santhals, also known as Manjhis, are an ethnic group largely concentrated in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal. According to Britannica, there are over 5 million Santhals in India alone. She is the first tribal woman from the East to hold such a top position. Modi’s government choosing a leader from an Odisha Adivasi community seems to be its best bet currently. BJP’s choice of DraupadiMurmu for president is an important signalling for India’s historically prideful and underserved tribal communities.Murmu has a clean track record and as an Adivasi can challenge, at least in perception, the upper caste dominance in Odisha’s politics and consolidate a large section of the Adivasi population in western Odisha.During the BJP- BJD coalition government that came to power in 2000, she held the Commerce and Transport, and, subsequently, the Fisheries and Animal Husbandry portfolios.She managed to win in 2009 even as the BJP paled against the challenge put up by the by-then estranged BJD. Murmu entered State politics in 1997 and was conferred with the Nilkantha Award in 2007. BJP President JP Nadda, has rightly said that “Millions of people, especially those who have experienced poverty and faced hardships, derive great strength from the life of Droupadi Murmu Her understanding of policy matters and compassionate nature will greatly benefit our country”. When she assumed office as the governor of Jharkhand on May 18, 2015, not only was she the first woman to have done so but also the first tribal leader and woman from Odisha to be a governor in any Indian state. When she was born in 1958, in the district of Mayurbhanj in Odisha, there was nothing to foretell that she was headed to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Living in one of the state&amp;#39;s most underdeveloped regions, her family struggled with poverty.&nbsp;Despite her family&amp;#39;s difficult situation, she went on to graduate from the Ramadevi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar. Her father, who comes from a tribal family, made her stand on her feet by educating her. She struggled to reach the first job of a clerk in the irrigation department from a village in Orissa. She took her baby steps struggling with poverty in one of the most remote and underdeveloped districts of the country. Draupadi Murmu is a devotee of Shiva. She is the only woman to have travelled from the Santhal tribal section to the post of President. She is recognized as a woman living with simplicity and taking strong decisions. But her life can inspire many of us who start thinking small difficulties as the end of life. The 64-year- old Murmu was twice elected as a BJP legislator from Odisha and was a minister in the Naveen Patnaik cabinet when the saffron party supported the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Born in Odisha&amp;#39;s Mayurbhanj district, Murmu belongs to a Santhal family - a tribal ethnic group. She began her career as an assistant teacher at the Shri Aurobindo integral Education Centre in Rairangpur. Thereafter, she had working with the Odisha government as part of the irrigation and power department.In 2015 she was sworn in as the first woman Governor of Jharkhand. She was also the first woman and tribal leader from Odisha to be appointed as Governor of an Indian state.S he has come a long way in making her way till here, on her own, breaking all social stigma. When she had gone to study in Bhubaneshwar before the nineties, there were no roads, no Google Maps to help people. She has always maintained a very stoic appearance in her public and personal life. She figured everything out on her own. She has devoted her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden as well as the marginalised. Her life has been marked with personal tragedies as she lost her husband and two sons. Over the next decade or so she held several leading roles within the BJP, serving as the state president of the ST Morcha and as the BJP district president of Mayurbhan. She has diverse administrative experience having handled ministries such as transport, commerce, fisheries and animal husbandry in the Odisha government. She is a source of inspiration for us. As Murmu’s contributions to our nation are immense and she possesses a lot of expertise in different areas which will be certainly of great benefit to our country.—The Hawk Features

Droupadi Murmu, a tribal leader from Odisha has now become the first tribal President and second female President of India. As a tribal woman from remote Mayurbhanj district, she had never thought about becoming the President of India. Murmu comes from a discreet tribal community of  Santhals. 

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'Neither Supporting BJP Nor Against Oppn, Decision Keeping BSP In Mind': Mayawati Backs NDA's Presidential Candidate Murmu

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'Neither Supporting BJP Nor Against Oppn, Decision Keeping BSP In Mind': Mayawati Backs NDA's Presidential Candidate Murmu

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