India may get first tribal woman president next month

Droupadi Murmu, 64, former governor of Indian Jharkhand state, is likely to be elected first tribal president of the republic as the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has picked her for the upcoming presidential polls slated for 18 July.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led NDA nominated the women leader for the presidential polls of the world's largest democracy at the party's parliamentary board held with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the chair on Tuesday evening.

The announcement came hours after 17 opposition parties including TMC and NCP named Yashwant Sinha, 84, currently a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former BJP leader, as the consensus candidate for the Presidential race.

According to media reports, Murmu's election is almost certain given that the numbers are heavily stacked in favour of the ruling NDA.

Murmu, the tribal leader, served as the Jharkhand governor between 2015 and 2021. If elected, she will be the first tribal woman to occupy the top constitutional post.

Soon after Murmu was named as NDA presidential candidate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Murmu has devoted her life to serving society...I am confident she will be a great President".

Announcing her name BJP President JP Nadda told media that the NDA has decided to pick Droupadi Murmu from almost 20 names, which were discussed prominently in the meeting.

"We decided to pick someone from the East and till date no woman from a tribal community has been picked for the post. So, we picked the name of Draupadi Murmu", he added. 

Murmu, 64, who hails from Odisha, served as the first woman governor of Jharkhand. Born into a Santal tribal family in 1958, she overcome significant hardship to complete her education and began her career as teacher in Sri Aurobindo Education Centre and taught without being paid a salary.

According to media reports, the Indian Presidential elections will be held on July 18 and the counting of votes, if needed, will be conducted on July 21. The last date of nomination submission has been set on June 29.

The new president will take oath by July 25 as the tenure of current President Ram Nath Kovind will end on July 24.

Meanwhile, the Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajib Kumar told media that a total of 4,809 electors to vote in the country's Presidential elections-2022.

The President of India is elected indirectly by the votes cast by an electoral college. This Electoral College comprises the 776 members of Parliament (both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) and the members of legislative assemblies of the states, with a total of 4,809 votes being cast.