India got its first tribal President in Droupadi Murmu on Thursday night, which also makes her the country’s second woman President. In just the first three rounds of counting of the votes cast by legislators on Monday, NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu secured over 50% of the total vote value, which led opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha to concede defeat. She was officially declared as the 15th President of the country after the conclusion of the counting of votes on Thursday night. She got 64.03% of the total vote value. She will take oath of office on 25 July.
Congratulating her on her victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “India scripts history. At a time when 1.3 billion Indians are marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a daughter of India hailing from a tribal community born in a remote part of eastern India has been elected our President!” “Congratulations to Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji on this feat,” he added.
The Prime Minister also met Droupadi Murmu at the latter’s residence to greet her on her election. Bharatiya Janata Party president J.P. Nadda was present during the meeting.
Asserting NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu’s “record victory augurs well for our democracy”, the Prime Minister said she will be an “outstanding President who will lead from the front and strengthen India’s development journey”.
PM Modi thanked all the MPs and MLAs across party lines who supported Droupadi Murmu’s candidature for the top post. “I would like to thank all those MPs and MLAs across party lines who have supported the candidature of Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji. Her record victory augurs well for our democracy,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
Prime Minister Modi further said Murmu has with this win “emerged as a ray of hope for our citizens, especially the poor, marginalised and the downtrodden”.
“Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji’s life, her early struggles, her rich service and her exemplary success motivate each and every Indian. She has emerged as a ray of hope for our citizens, especially the poor, marginalised and the downtrodden,” he tweeted.
Celebrations began in Murmu’s ancestral village in Rairangpur in Odisha early during the day and continued till late night. In various parts of the country too, BJP workers celebrated the victory with much fanfare. Folk artistes and tribal dancers in different parts of the country hit the streets to celebrate the election result.
Earlier in the day, Tarinisen Tudu, Droupadi Murmu’s brother had said from Rairangpur, “There is an atmosphere of happiness here as we are hopeful that Droupadi Murmu will become the next President of India. It’s a matter of pride for the tribal community, Odisha and the country.”
Congratulatory messages started pouring in from different parts of the country and the world. In a statement, Yashwant Sinha said, “I heartily congratulate Srimati 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.”
Murmu received 2,824 votes with a value 6,76,803 while Yashwant Sinha secured 1,877 votes with a value 3,80,177. A total of 4,809 MPs and MLAs cast their votes in the polling that took place on July 18. Secretary General of Rajya Sabha and the Returning Officer for Presidential Election 2022, P.C. Mody handed over the certificate to President-elect Droupadi Murmu at her residence in Delhi. “Presidential Election concluded with declaration of result…4754 votes polled, out of which 4701 valid & 53 invalid…The quota was 5,28,491. #DroupadiMurmu secured 2824 first preference votes-value of which is 6,76,803,” Mody said. “1,877 first preference votes were secured by Yashwant Sinha – value 3,80,177. 1st preference votes secured by #DroupadiMurmu were greater than the requisite quota.”