The presidential candidate nominated by the BJP-led NDA, Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to file her nomination papers on Friday. Support has been pouring from different parties including those who are not the part of NDA, but even after the passing of more than 48 hours, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) , the party which claims to be a tribal party is yet to make any formal announcement supporting Murmu.

The party is set to hold a meeting of its MLAs and MPs on the issue on Friday. However, party senior leaders have given enough indication that JMM despite being part of UPA alliance will support Murmu for the presidential post as it concerns the tribal set to hold the top constitutional post. JMM, a regional party in tribal-dominated Jharkhand, will find it difficult to vote against Murmu. On Wednesday, JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey welcomed Murmu for the presidential post. Pandey said, “She is a deserving candidate. A tribal has been given this opportunity which we welcome. There should be a unanimous selection for the highest post,” added Pandey. 

Also, a senior JMM leader requesting anonymity said, “Supporting Droupadi Murmu for top post will not be strange as the relations between Soren and Raj Bhawan when Droupadi Murmu was Governor was very much cordial. We seldom heard anything when Murmu was Governor but now with Ramesh Bais there you can see the skirmishes. Also, the respect Soren gave to Murmu - almost half bending namaskars to a tribal lady is a key to how they will vote."

Party insiders said that for the JMM, which wears the image of being a “for-tribal” party, it will be difficult to overlook the fact that a tribal is set to hold the top office.

However, ruling party Congress has openly said that party will vote for Yashwant Sinha. State parliamentary affairs minister Alamgir Alam said, “In coalition politics there are some rules which alliance partners have to follow. Despite Murmu being a tribal face. The Congress high command had already decided to back Yashwant Sinha so there will be no U-turn.” 

However, state tribal activists have welcomed Santhal politician Droupadi Murmu’s nomination as NDA candidate for President.

“We are happy that a tribal and Santhal woman is, going by the numbers, almost certain to become President. We nurture high hopes that vexed tribal issues like the Sarna dharma code for the population census would now get a hearing,” said Ratan Tirkey, a lawyer-activist who was part of the state government’s Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) during the BJP administration of Raghubar Das (2014-19).

Adivasi Jan Parishad chief Prem S Munda said the Opposition parties should learn to include the tribal communities in the primary roles.