Clay lamps were lit and yajnas held at various places of worship in Odisha on Sunday as BJP workers and people from tribal communities prayed for the victory of NDA presidential poll candidate Droupadi Murmu, a resident of Mayurbhanj district in the state.
Elections for the country's highest constitutional post will be held on July 18.
Members of the Santhal community, to which Ms. Murmu belongs, paid obeisance to the deities of Marangburu, Aera and Jaherayo in Mayurbhanj.
BJP supporters along with Sangh Parivar karyakartas chanted mantras and invoked Lord Jagannath, seeking his blessings for the "daughter of Odisha" who is contesting the joint opposition candidate and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha.
Babulu Murmu, nayeke (priest) of the 'Bada Putuka' jaher (place of worship) in Mayurbhanj said, "Lots of people prayed for the great success of (Droupadi) Murmu during the day." Similar congregations were also witnessed by more than 3,000 jahers in the district.
"There was no festival as such. But the gathering of people at various places of worship in Mayurbhanj made it look like people were observing some local festival. Everyone is hoping that Lord Marangburu will ensure victory for Droupadi Murmu,” said Rameswar Tudu of Juluku Jaher.
All district BJP units performed rituals and prayed for Ms. Murmu's victory.
BJP state president Samir Mohanty lit earthen lamps at the Shri Lingaraj temple here, while party MLAs led by Puri legislator Jayant Sarangi performed puja at the Jagannath temple.
“She (Murmu) has the blessings of Lord Jagannath. It is a proud moment for us to witness a tribal woman being elected as the first citizen,” said BJP Deputy Assembly Leader BC Sethi.
Officials in Jagatsinghpur and Bargarh said shlokas were recited by BJP workers in local temples.
Murmu, who is the first Odia in the fray for the presidential post, has secured the support of the ruling Naveen Patnaik-led BJD.
Leader of the BJD parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha Pinaki Mishra said, “(Droupadi) Murmu is the 'rakhi' sister of the Chief Minister; we will definitely vote for Odisha's daughter.'
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