New Delhi
From the nondescript Uparbeda village in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha to the imposing Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi, Droupadi Murmu has traversed the distance in an inspirational journey to become the first tribal President (elect) of India, where the 10.45 crore tribals constitute 8.6 percent of the population. She will take oath on July 25.
She is the second woman, after Pratibha Patil, and also the youngest to helm the apex Constitutional post. Born on June 20, 1958, her life’s journey from a school teacher to councilor to MLA to Governor to the Head of State has been remarkable. Tragedy struck her between 2009 and 2014 when she lost her two sons and her husband one after the other. But she overcame a brief bout of depression to take her life forward with a new steely resolve.
On Thursday, as the counting of votes progressed, it was clear a large number of MPs and MLAs defied their party lines to vote for her. The buzz has it that as many as 17 parliamentarians and 104 leglslators cross voted for her. She got votes in all the States while her rival Yashwant Sinha drew a blank in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Nagaland.
AS IT HAPPENED
- Droupadi Murmu trounced Yashwant Sinha by a whopping 2,96, 626 votes, cornering 64 percent of the total votes.
- On the day of voting (July 18), The Indian Tribal had reported that Murmu’s victory margin was expected to be much more than the estimated numbers due to cross voting. It turns out, as many as 17 MPs and 104 MLAs defied party lines and cross voted for her. The NDA vote share was 48% when Murmu filed her nomination. It swelled to 64% courtesy cross voting and support of regional parties.
- Murmu started off emphatically establishing a huge lead after the first round of counting of votes itself. With 540 votes of the 748 valid votes of MPs in her favour, she bagged 72.19 percent of the total votes of MPs. In all, 771 MPs voted. Votes of 15 MPs were declared invalid while eight MPs did not vote.
- With each MP having a vote value of 700, the total value of votes of 748 MPs thus stood at 5,23,600. Of this, Murmu cornered 3,78,600 votes, clearly indicating cross-voting in her favour. Sinha received 208 votes of MPs. His total vote value stood at 1,45,600, which is 27.81 per cent of the total valid votes of MPs.
- Murmu strengthened her lead further after 2nd round, when ballot papers of MLAs of first 10 States were alphabetically counted. Total valid votes were 1138 with a total value of 1,49,575. Of this, Murmu got 809 votes valued at 1,05,299 while Sinha got 329 votes valued at 44,276.
- Overall, of the 1,886 valid votes valued at 6,73,175 after 2 rounds, Murmu got 1,349 votes valued at 4,83,299 and Sinha 537 votes, valued at 1,89,876. Murmu thus led by 2,93,423 votes.
- That Murmu is India’s first tribal President was clear after the third round of counting as she crossed the 50% mark of total valid votes. Total valid votes were 1,333 with value 1,65,664. Murmu got 812 votes, Sinha 521 votes.
- Cumulative valid votes after three rounds is 3219 with total value of 8,38,839 of which Murmu got 2161 votes of the value of 5,77,777 and Sinha had 1058 votes of the value of 2,61,062.
- Results after the fourth round officially confirmed Murmu’s election. In all, 4754 votes were polled, out of which 4701 were valid & 53 invalid. The quota (for a candidate to be elected the President) was 5,28,491. Murmu bagged 2824 first preference votes, with a value of 6,76,803. Sinha secured 1,877 first preference votes with a value of 3,80,177, Secretary General of Rajya Sabha PC Mody said.
- One of the reasons for her vote percentage coming down from the 70s in the first three rounds to the 60s in the last round was apparently due to the votes Sinha polled in from West Bengal, which figured in the last 10 States (alphabetically) whose votes were counted in the fourth round
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Murmu’s residence to congratulate her after she emerged victorious, tweeted, saying: “India scripts history with a daughter from tribal community elected President. Droupadi Murmu’s life, her exemplary success motivates every Indian; she emerged as ray of hope for citizens. I am certain Droupadi Murmu will be outstanding President who will lead from front, strengthen India’s development journey.”
The PM thanked all MPs, MLAs across party lines who supported her. “Her record victory augurs well for our democracy,” he stressed. Around 4,800 parliamentarians and legislators — some indisposed ones came on stretchers, some veterans on wheelchairs and some Covid-affected ones in PPE kits — had voted on July 18 in the Parliament and respective State Legislative Assemblies to elect India’s 15th President.
In a series of tweets, Murmu said, ”Elated by all of the support from my all political colleagues Ministers, MP’s and MLA’s from all -around India for choosing me to serve as the 15th President in the world’s largest democratic country Mother India. I extend my heartiest gratitude to all my brothers and sisters throughout India who have supported me to reach at the Highest Commandant of Indian Army. I am devoted to work for the people of my great motherland India.”
“When I was Nominated as NDA’S presidential candidate from that day I took oath in my mind that If I become President, first of all I will work for more development of my tribal and adivasi brothers and sisters of Whole India & Odisha Now that time has came I will keep my promise. I bow head towards Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath for the blessings and everything i achieved till date, I thank my every Citizen of mother India and to all of You, I cannot express my feeling right now,” Murmu tweeted shortly after her win was confirmed.
Given the NDA’s numbers in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies, the scales were always tilted in favour of Murmu. The support extended to Murmu by a number of other non-NDA parties and with many from the Opposition camp going against their party lines to cross vote for the “tribal woman”, her win was almost a foregone conclusion. Only the margin of victory was to be seen.
The cross voting coupled with the NDA’s tribal card should worry the Opposition given the Assembly elections in many states in the next two years and the parliamentary polls in 2024. Parties like JMM from the Opposition camp supporting the NDA candidate have already led to speculations of its possible tie-up with the BJP, junking Congress and RJD, in Jharkhand. Cross voting was reported from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Odisha, Haryana and also Maharashtra.
Murmu’s rival Yashwant Sinha accepted defeat after the third round. Congratulating Murmu, he said he hoped she functions as the custodian of the Constitution without fear or favour.
Celebrations erupted across the country as she crossed the halfway mark and her win was confirmed. International leaders, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and Opposition leaders extended their wishes to the newly elected President of India. Outgoing President Ramnath Kovind also congratulated Murmu and extended his best wishes to her.
A large crowd gathered outside the BJP headquarters in Delhi to celebrate the momentous occasion even as the ruling party made its bid to make a grand event out of it across the country and reach out to the tribals.
