NDA’s presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu on Saturday met BJP allies here and garnered their support. During his nearly three-hour stay here, Murmu met AIADMK leaders K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam, Tamil Manila Congress President GK Vasan and Pattali Makkal Katchi President Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, who all extended their support.
“Though your victory is almost certain, you have come to Chennai to seek the support of Tamil Nadu MLAs and MPs. It shows your simplicity and humility,” Panneerselvam told him during an interaction. The AIADMK leader, who along with his followers congratulated him separately, said that former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the embodiment of women’s empowerment, would have been alive. Would have been very happy to see Murmu as the next President of India.
Palaniswami, who is apparently being projected as the next single leader of the AIADMK, bypassing Panneerselvam, was the first state leader to present a shawl and a bouquet to Murmu. He had whole-heartedly promised AIADMK support for Murmu in the presidential election held on July 18. Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, who are at loggerheads over the issue of single leadership of their party, met Murmu separately along with their supporters.
On his arrival Murmu was given a warm welcome at a five star hotel. Union Minister L Murugan, BJP President K Annamalai and party MLA and BJP Mahila Morcha national president Vanathi Srinivasan were present when Palaniswami congratulated the presidential candidate. Panneerselvam said that with her election as the President of India, it will be the first time that a woman from the Scheduled Tribes will get a chance to occupy the highest chair of India. “It reflects the prime minister’s point of view” Narendra Modi ji towards the empowerment of women and downtrodden,” he said, extending his full support for their victory.
She said that with her varied administrative experience as a minister in the Government of Odisha and as the Governor of Jharkhand in the past, there is no doubt that she will act as the President “effectively and efficiently in accordance with the Constitution of India”. A party release said PMK president Anbumani supported Murmu’s candidature to “uphold social justice”.
Tamil Nadu’s main opposition AIADMK has 66 MLAs in the 234-member House, while allies PMK and BJP have 5 and 4 MLAs respectively, taking the NDA’s strength in the state to 75. The presidential election will be held on July 18, 2022, with the opposition making former Union minister Yashwant Sinha its common candidate to take on Murmu. He had met members of the ruling NDA led by the AINRC in the neighboring Puducherry Union Territory earlier in the day.
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