HAM(S), Chirag to vote for Droupadi

Patna: Two prominent state Dalit leaders — former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan — on Wednesday extended their support to the NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.
Manjhi’s party Hindustani Awami Morcha-Secular has four MLAs in Bihar legislative assembly.
While Manjhi extended his party’s support to the NDA nominee mainly because Murmu hails from the SC/ST community, Jamui MP Chirag, sources said, made up his mind in favour of the NDA candidate after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called him on Tuesday seeking his support in the presidential election.
“I extend my heartiest congratulation and good wishes to our sister and former governor Droupadi Murmu on her selection as the NDA’s presidential candidate. She is the pride of the schedule tribe community. It is a moment of pride for us when a second leader from among us is going to become the President of India,” Manjhi tweeted on Wednesday.
Manjhi was, in fact, referring to the outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind, who also hails from the SC/ST class.
“It is a proud moment for us that the NDA has selected a tribal leader for the highest post of the country. It is for the first time that a tribal leader will become the President of India. LJP (Ram Vilas) fully supports the BJP’s decision,” Chirag, the lone MP of his party, said.