President Election: Draupadi Murmu will visit Odisha today, and will seek support from CM Naveen Patnaik

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Draupadi Murmu will come to Odisha today in the presidential election. Here she will seek support from Naveen Patnaik. On the other hand, the Odisha government has decided to treat Draupadi Murmu as a state guest on her arrival.

Draupadi Murmu, a tribal resident of the Mayurbhanj district of the state, would be provided with an escort pilot and a personal security officer, a senior official informed. Apart from this, the official said that special arrangements would be made for their reception, accommodation, boarding, and transportation.

Presidential candidate Murmu is likely to have a one-on-one meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Naveen Patnaik-led ruling BJD had already promised support for Odisha's daughter.

The delegation of ruling BJD leaders had also met senior Congress leaders and legislators, including the tribal leader and MLA CS Rajin Ekka, to request their support for Draupadi Murmu for the presidential election to be held on July 18. However, Ekka had clarified that the ideology of the Congress was different from that of the BJP.

Meanwhile, expelled BJD member and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi on Thursday announced his support for Draupadi Murmu. Murmu is the daughter of Odisha and I have full support for her.

Uddhav Thackeray under pressure to support Murmu

Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray is under increasing pressure to support BJP's presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu. After MP Rahul Shewale, now Palghar MP Rajendra Gavit has also written a letter to Uddhav urging him to support Murmu. In the letter, bypassing political opposition, for the first time in the country, a tribal woman has been made a presidential candidate, support her.

Also Read: Presidential Poll: Presidential election just a formality, BJP's bet on the BJP, the party's upper hand even in the Vice Presidential election