Draupadi Murmu, the NDA’s Presidential candidate, given Z+ security cover

Central government officials on Wednesday said that round the clock Z+ category security cover had been provided to Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu, a day after the BJP named the former Jharkhand governor as the NDA’s face in the election.

The CRPF took charge of the 64-year-old’s security from Wednesday morning after receiving an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), news agency ANI reported citing an official privy to the development.

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Murmu was announced as the NDA’s Presidential candidate on Tuesday, with a vote set for July 18.

“I am confident she will be a great President of our nation. Millions of people, especially those who have experienced poverty and faced hardships, derive great strength from the life of Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji. Her understanding of policy matters and compassionate nature will greatly benefit our country,” PM Narendra Modi said on social media after the announcement.

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A grassroots politician, Murmu was reportedly in consideration for President in 2017, but Ram Nath Kovind made the cut. If elected this time, Murmu will become the first tribal and the second woman to be the President of India.

Murmu’s political career began in Odisha when she contested and won an election for the post of councillor in Rairangpur. She went on to win the assembly election in 2000 from Rairangpur, becoming a minister in the BJP-BJD government.

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No stranger to firsts, the 64-year-old leader from Odisha became the first woman and tribal leader to be appointed governor in any Indian state.

She served as the Governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021, becoming the first person to complete a governorship tenure in Jharkhand since it gained statehood.