YSRCP and TDP announced their support to Murmu

By Our Special Correspondent

For the first time, the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh led by chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu were on the same page on Tuesday.

Both the parties virtually competed with each other in extending support to National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for presidential election Droupadi Murmu who came to Vijayawada to seek the support of the parties.

The ruling YSRCP, which has 31 MPs and 151 MLAs, has already announced its support to Murmu. Last month, the party's leader Vijayasai Reddy attended the Murmu nomination filing process in the Parliament in Delhi. Chief Jagan Mohan Reddy is maintaining good relations with the BJP at the Centre.

The ruling YSRCP extended a warm welcome to Murmu, who came to Vijayawada along with Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy. The Chief Minister organized a reception in her honor at the CK Convention Center in Mangalagiri, where she introduced all the MPs and MLAs of her party who would be voting for her in the Presidential elections.

Recalling the TDP's earlier endorsement of KR Narayanan (Dalit) and APJ Abdul Kalam (Muslim) as its candidate for President of India, TDP President Chandrababu Naidu announced that he would “support a tribal woman leader for the highest post in the country.

Speaking on this occasion, Jagan said that there is a need to strengthen and support Murmu, who is an adivasi and a woman. 151 MLAs and 31 MPs of the party said that they will vote for her in accordance with the party's stance of giving priority to SC, ST, BC and minorities in the implementation of social justice.

Political observers, however, see Naidu’s decision as one more overture to get back into the NDA fold. The TDP-BJP relations severed after Naidu walked out of the alliance in March 2018.

“The TDP takes pride (in) extending support to a great tribal leader like Murmu, and (is) fortunate to have her here. Murmu, who is set to become the “First Citizen,” is an inspiration to the downtrodden sections,” Naidu said at a meeting, where he introduced Murmu to his MPs and MLAs.

Seeking support for her candidature as the President of India, Murmu acknowledged the history of Andhra Pradesh, paid tribute to the great fighters and leaders of the state and said she was lucky to be contesting the top post during the 75th Independence Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Calling Murmu's life "extraordinary", Naidu said she would be an inspiration to the downtrodden sections of the society to lead a normal life. "TDP is proud to support a great tribal leader like Murmu and is very fortunate to have her here," Naidu said.

In her meetings with the YSRCP and TDP, Murmu was accompanied by Union Minister Kishan Reddy.