Odisha’s Congress Legislature votes for Murmu. Cuttack’s Barbatti constituency Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim has voted for rival NDA’s candidate Shrimati Droupadi Murmu in the presidential elections. The elections were held on Monday.
Draupadi Murmu, the presidential candidate by National Democratic Alliance (NDA) hails from Odisha. Murmu belongs to the Santhal community and is expected to become the first tribal to serve the coveted post. Her opposition candidate is Yashwant Sinha.
She already has got support from other parties owing to her tribal identity. The ruling party of Odisha, Biju Janata Dal has wholeheartedly supported her in the elections because she hails from the State. Even Congress ally in Jharkhand, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has shown support for Draupadi Murmu because she was the governor of the state. Many other tribal dominated states are said to vote for her.
Murmu has once served as the governor of Jharkhand so, Jharkhand supporting her becomes more obvious.
Reason behind Odisha’s Congress legislature votes for Murmu?
The Congress MLA responded that it was his personal decision as well as he listened to his heart. He had immense respect for the sentiments of 4.5 crore Odias who wished the “daughter of the soil” to serve the nation. Although Congress had asked their members to support Sinha, there is no whip set by them.
Anti defection law is null and void for presidential elections where MLAs and MPs from every nook and corner of India vote. Another Congress MLA supported Ms. Murmu but voted for Sinha due to the discretion of the party.
Education Minister of India, Dharmendra Pradhan, who also hails from the state, supported Moquim’s decision. He said he had done right by voting for the “daughter of the soil.”
Odisha’s chief minister Naveen Pattanaik had urged his party members to vote for Draupadi Murmu. He had even sent his party workers to Congress MLAs seeking their support.
Murmu has the support of around 60 percent of the legislatures. The results of the elections will be announced on July 21. President Ram Nath Kovind’s tenure ends on July 24.
