New Delhi, June 21 (Agency) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced former Jharkhand governor Draupadi Murmu as NDA candidate for the Presidential polls, scheduled to be held next month. As per BJP President JP Nadda, after discussing around 20 names, it was decided that the Presidential candidate should be from the eastern part of India, and a tribal woman candidate should be chosen, after which the party decided on Murmu.
The 64-year-old will be up against former union minister Yashwant Sinha, who has been picked by 17 Opposition parties as their candidate. Murmu, who has been an MLA from BJP in Odisha, also served as a Minister in Odisha government during the BJP-BJD coalition rule.