New Delhi [India], July 21: As the results of the presidential election were announced on Thursday, Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha congratulated his rival Droupadi Murmu who is set to become the 15th President of India.
Swati Bhat
Joint Opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha and NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu (File Photo)
In a statement, Sinha said, "I heartily congratulate Droupadi Murmu on her victory in the Presidential Election 2022. I hope -- indeed, every Indian hopes -- that as the 15th President of India she functions as the Custodian of the Constitution without fear or favour. I join my fellow countrymen in extending best wishes to her." Sinha further thanked leaders of the Opposition political parties for choosing him as their consensus candidate in the presidential election. He also thank all members of the Electoral College who voted for him. "I accepted the offer of Opposition parties solely guided by the philosophy of Karma Yoga preached by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita -- 'Do your duty without expectation of the fruits thereof.' I have performed my duty conscientiously out of my love for my country. The issues I had raised during my campaign remain pertinent," said Sinha. Despite the outcome of the election, Sinha said he believes that the process has benefited Indian democracy in two important ways. "First, it brought most Opposition parties on a common platform. This is indeed the need of the hour, and I earnestly appeal to them to continue -- indeed, further strengthen -- Opposition unity beyond the presidential election. It must be equally evident in the election of the Vice-President," he said. Secondly, he said in the course of the election campaign, he tried to highlight the views, concerns and commitments of the Opposition parties on major issues before the nation and the common people. "In particular, I voiced strong concern over the blatant and rampant weaponisation of ED, CBI, Income Tax department and even the office of Governor against Opposition parties and their leaders. These institutions are also being misused to engineer defections and topple Opposition-run state governments. India has never seen political corruption of such magnitude. This, coupled with the poisonous politics of polarisation, poses a grave danger to democracy and communal harmony in India," said the veteran leader.
BJP-led NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu is set to be elected as the 15th President of India, having already got 50 per cent of the total value of valid votes at the end of the third round of counting. Briefing the media, Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody, who is returning officer for the election, said Droupadi Murmu has got 2161 votes whose electoral value is 5,77,777.
The presidential contest was between Murmu and Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha. "Up to this round, the cumulative total is - total valid votes is 3219 with a total value of 8,38,839 of which Droupadi Murmu gets 2161 votes of the value of 5,77,777. Yashwant Sinha get 1058 votes of the value of 2,61,062," Mody said. He said the states covered in the third round are Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha and Punjab. "In this round, total valid votes 1,333. Total value of valid votes is 1,65,664. Droupadi Murmu got 812 votes, Yashwant Sinha got 521 votes," Mody said. Odisha's Rairangpur village, the native place of NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu erupted in celebrations in anticipation of Droupadi Murmu's victory. A large crowd gathered outside BJP Headquarters in Delhi in celebration earlier this evening.
Murmu was also leading in the first two rounds of the counting of votes. According to the sources, 17 MPs have cross-voted in the Presidential elections, in favour of Droupadi Murmu. The counting began at Parliament House at 11 a.m. The Presidential election was held on July 18.
