BJP names Draupadi Murmu as its Presidential candidate

New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) The BJP on Tuesday announced the name of former Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu as its Presidential candidate.

BJP chief J.P. Nadda announced Murmu's name during a press conference at the party headquarters here. The decision was taken by the BJP Parliamentary board, the party's top decision making body.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, Nadda and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present at the meeting.

Announcing Murmu's name, Nadda said that the BJP is trying to build a consensus among all the parties.

"After opposition parties announced their candidate, the BJP, after talking to all the NDA allies, decided to field Murmu as its Presidential candidate. Detailed discussions were held on 20 names and a consensus was built that someone from the East and from the tribal community must be made the President of India. After discussions, the Parliamentary board decided to name Draupadi Murmu as the Presidential candidate," Nadda said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the opposition parties announced former Union minister Yashwant Sinha as their consensus candidate for the post of President.

"We (opposition parties) have unanimously decided that Yashwant Sinha will be our common candidate for the Presidential election," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told mediapersons soon after the meeting of opposition parties held at the Parliament Annexe.

June 29 is the last date for filing nomination for the Presidential poll, while voting will take place on July 18. Counting of votes will take place on July 21.