As MPs throughout India choose between Droupadi Murmu (the BJP-led NDA selection) and Yashwant Sinha, an MLA from Assam told news agency ANI that it is “obvious that the Congress is cross-voting” in the presidential election (the opposition candidate). “There was a meeting of the Congress, but only two or three MLAs were there. There was just the district president. What was the purpose of the Assembly meeting? Cross-voting by Congress is obvious; there may be more than 20. On the day of results, you “Karimuddin Barbhuiya, an AIUDF MLA, said.
The comment from Barbhuiya raises hopes that Murmu will win with ease. Murmu can count on votes from the Biju Janata Dal, the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Janata Dal (United) and (Secular), the AIADMK, and smaller parties of the National Democratic Alliance in addition to the sizeable (more than necessary to win the election) votes she will receive from MPs and MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The former Jharkhand governor was selected by a cross-vote, according to a Congress MLA from Murmu’s home state of Odisha. To ANI, Mohammad Moquim remarked, “I have voted for the daughter of the soil.”
“I am a Congress MLA, yet I supported Droupadi Murmu, the NDA candidate. Voting for her was a personal choice since I followed my heart’s guidance to do something for the soil “He added.
In Gujarat, Nationalist Congress Party MLA Kandhal S. Jadeja told ANI that he had cast his ballot for Murmu, there have also been instances of cross-voting.
At 10 a.m. on Monday, voting to choose Ram Nath Kovind’s successor got under way. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his ballot. Since then, a number of chief ministers have also participated in voting, including those from Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Delhi.
Droupadi Murmu of the NDA is running for president against Yashwant Sinha of the opposition. The odds are in Murmu’s favour because she suddenly garnered backing from groups like the Shiv Sena and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, something she never expected. Biju Janata Dal and YSR Congress Party had already backed her.
