Bhubaneswar: NDA’s Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu who is on a visit to Odisha today offered her gratitude to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his relentless support to her candidature.
“Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is my rakhi brother and has extended his relentless support for my candidature even before I sought it,” Murmu said.
Murmu arrived in Bhubaneswar today afternoon and went straight to the Odisha Legislative Assembly where she met MLAs and MPs of the BJD. During the meeting Naveen requested all legislators and parliamentarians from Odisha to support her unamimously.
Accompanied by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat, Murmu then went to meet BJP MLAs and MPs at the State Guest House here. Murmu had lunch with the Chief Minister at the latter’s residence, Naveen Niwas, after meeting BJP and BJD MPs and MLAs separately.
BJD MP from Puri, Pinaki Misra also attended the lunch. Earlier, Murmu was accorded a grand reception at Bhubaneswar airport. Murmu is the first woman and a tribal leader from Odisha to be appointed a Governor in an Indian state.
If elected, she will be the first tribal President and the second-ever female President.
BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo said the Chief Minister has already announced to support Murmu for the presidential elections and all irrespective of political affiliation should support her.
“Murmu had tied Rakshi to Naveen Patnaik. So, they have a brother-sister relationship. Before her (Murmu) request for support, our CM had extended wholehearted support to her in this election,” said senior BJD MLA Pramilla Mallick.
