New Delhi: Days after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced support for NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu for the July 18 presidential election, opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha on Saturday (July 16) contested Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren. sought support for his candidature. The Jharkhand CMO shared pictures of Soren with Yashwant Sinha, saying the opposition candidate sought JMM’s support in the presidential race.
“UPA presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha met JMM working president-cum-chief minister, @HemantSorenJMM today. Shri Sinha appeals to the Chief Minister to support him in the Presidential election,” the Jharkhand CMO tweeted.
UPA candidate for the post of President, Shri Yashwant Sinha, today the Central Working President-cum-Chief Minister of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Shri. @HemantSorenJMM met with.
Shri Sinha appealed to the Chief Minister to support his side in the presidential election. pic.twitter.com/StQQxm1BRz— Chief Minister’s Office, Jharkhand (@JharkhandCMO) 16 July 2022
On July 14, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren ended the suspense and announced his support to NDA’s presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu. He said, ‘You know that Draupadi Murmu, a former governor of Jharkhand and a tribal woman, is a candidate in the upcoming presidential election. For the first time after independence, a tribal woman is going to get the distinction of becoming the President. All MPs and MLAs of the JMM party told PTI in a statement.
Soren said, “Therefore, after due deliberations, the party has decided to vote in favor of Draupadi Murmu in the presidential election.”
Murmu had visited Jharkhand on July 4 and sought Shibu Soren’s support for his candidature. His son and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was also present in the meeting.
Citing analysts, PTI reported that the JMM was in a dilemma whether to support “Bhoomi’s son” Yashwant Sinha or “fellow tribal” Draupadi Murmu.
Meanwhile, Yashwant Sinha, a resident of Jharkhand, attacked the Centre, saying that democracy in the country has been “ruined”. Sinha said, “When I started the campaign (for Presidential election) last month, I had said that democracy is in danger. But now that I am concluding the campaign today, I can say that democracy is in the country. It’s ruined.” Press conference on Saturday. “I appeal to the voters (electorates) to exercise their franchise by listening to their conscience,” he said.
(with agency input)