Our Correspondent
Imphal, July 6 (EMN): The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the presidential polls, Droupadi Murmu, became the first presidential candidate to campaign in Manipur in the upcoming presidential elections.
Murmu arrived here on Tuesday evening after her Trtipura visit, to campaign for the presidential election, which is scheduled to be held on July 18.
On her arrival in a special aircraft at the Bir Tikendrajit International airport around 6.45 pm, Murmu was accorded a warm welcome by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda Devi led party leaders.
Later, she went straight to a conference hall hotel in Imphal wherein a meeting with all MLAs, ministers and three MPs of the state was held. The meeting was also attended by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Union minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik.
A total of 55 MLAs, which include 32 BJPs, seven from National People’s Party(NPP),six from Janata Dal(U), five from Naga People’s Front, three Independents and two Kuki People’s Alliance, attended the day’s meeting.
Though what was discussed during the meeting could not be ascertained, it is believed that the meeting might have discussed the support for the NDA candidate in the upcoming presidential elections.
In the recently concluded state assembly elections, the BJP had won an absolute majority with 32 seats of the 60-member assembly, while the NPP came second with seven seats. The opposition Congress and NPF had secured five seats each.
Sharing some photographs of the meeting in a tweet on Tuesday night, Singh wrote, “Joined the meeting of all MLAs, Ministers, MPs and senior party leaders which was graced by Smt Draupadi Murmu Ji, Presidential candidate for NDA.”
Singh had already convened a meeting with some of his ministers and BJP leaders to chart out the programme for the presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu’s visit.
After attending the meeting and subsequent dinner, presidential candidate Murmu lelt Imphal around 9.30 pm.