NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu has been officially declared as the 15th President of India. Of the total valid 4,701 votes, Murmu secured 2,824 first preference votes, valued at 6,76,803 defeating opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha with 1,877 first preference votes, valued at 3,80,177, ANI reported quoting PC Mody, secretary general, Rajya Sabha.
Murmu, former Jharkhand governor, is seen to be comfortably ahead in what is largely a symbolic fight. Besides the BJP, Murmu also has support of BJP allies and parties including the Biju Janata Dal that tend to vote with the BJP. Opposition parties including the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Shiv Sena have also pledged support to her.
The National Democratic Alliance's Droupadi Murmu and opposition's joint pick Yashwant Sinha are in focus on Thursday as counting of votes polled for electing India's 15th president is set to begin at 11 a.m. at Parliament House in New Delhi.
Murmu, who has the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its various allies, if elected, will be the first tribal woman to occupy the top constitutional post in the country.
Voting for the elections concluded on July 18. Of the total 4,796 electors in the Electoral College, over 99% cast their votes, according to a statement by the Election Commission of India.