The ruling National Democratic Alliance has selected former Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu as its presidential candidate. “I am surprised as well as delighted. As a tribal woman from remote Mayurbhanj district, I had not thought about becoming the candidate for the top post,” she said at her Rairangpur residence. It did not come as a big surprise to political commentators though, for it was widely speculated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may opt for a person from either the tribal community or other backward classes (OBCs). All other major groups — Muslims, Dalits, Sikhs, women — have been represented. By choosing her as its presidential candidate, the BJP-led NDA expected to get support not just from the MPs and MLAs from tribals but also from Odisha, her native State. The BJD, which is in power in Odisha, holds over 2.8 per cent of representation in the electoral college that will elect the President. “I am optimistic of support from all members of the Odisha Assembly and MPs,” she said, “I am daughter of the soil. I have the right to request all members to support me as an Odia.” Her optimism is well-grounded. Odisha Chief Minister and BJD boss Naveen Patnaik is favourably inclined towards her candidature. He tweeted: “Congratulations Smt #DraupadiMurmu on being announced as candidate of NDA for the country’s highest office. I was delighted when Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji discussed this with me. It is indeed a proud moment for people of #Odisha.” This will help her — and the NDA.

Equally important is the support she has got from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. “We express happiness at the candidature of Droupadi Murmu for President. She is a tribal woman and it is a matter of great happiness that a tribal woman is the candidate for the highest position in the country,” Nitish Kumar said. At any rate, the top BJP leadership is active and adroit enough to have its way, as evident from the political storm raging in Maharashtra. This is bad news for the Opposition which had propped up former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha as its presidential candidate. Opposition politicians had hoped that if somehow they managed to get their candidate occupy Rashtrapati Bhawan, it would not only add momentum to the campaign to eventually oust the BJP from office. That seems to be very difficult today; developments in Maharashtra have shown that not just the anti-BJP coalition is precarious but also that Opposition leaders are flatfooted. On the other hand, the BJP top brass calibrated all its moves. Supporting a tribal woman can be criticised as tokenism, but then it is not the first time tokenism has affected presidential poll; in 2007, for instance, the Congress selected Pratibha Patil, who was not a political heavyweight or household name, as its candidate. The BJP has been playing that game, and bagging rich dividends. And it is likely to get the President of its own choice.