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Presidential poll: Lone NCP MLA in J’khand says voted for Murmu
Key political parties in the state, JMM, BJP and Congress, claimed their legislators followed party lines.
Lone NCP member in Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, Kamlesh Singh, said he had “followed his conscience” and voted for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee as the next President of India in the polling which was held here on Monday.
Barring BJP legislator from Sindri, Indrajit Mahto, who was unwell, all other MLAs in the 81-member Jharkhand assembly cast their votes in the presidential election, while 26 members of Parliament, 20 of them in the Lok Sabha and six in the Rajya Sabha, cast their vote in New Delhi, officials said.
“Of the 81 eligible voters, 80 exercised their franchise in Jharkhand assembly. The ballot box would be flown to Delhi tomorrow and counting would be done on July 21,” said chief electoral officer K Ravi Kumar.
Key political parties in the state, JMM, BJP and Congress, claimed their legislators followed party lines.
“There are certain things which could be decided outside the party line. I followed my conscience and voted for Murmu which is good for the country and the state,” said Singh.
Singh, a former minister and member of Madhu Koda cabinet, is facing charges of money laundering and disproportionate assets, as do his close family members including his wife, son, daughter and son-in-law.
BJP legislature party leader Babulal Marandi, who arrived at the venue with NDA’s over two dozen legislators and ally AJSU (P) chief Sudesh Mahto, said, “It would be an honour for the tribal community that a woman from among them would be holding the top post.”
State Congress president Rajesh Thakur, who led his party’s 18 legislators, he was confident that opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha would emerge victorious. “All our legislators voted for Sinha. There are reports of cross voting in other states. We had appealed for conscience vote. We know his son (former union minister and BJP MP Jayant Sinha) would vote on basis of conscience as well as his old friends,” said Thakur.
Congress’s senior ally in the state’s ruling coalition, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which has maximum 30 legislators, had already announced support to Murmu.
“As decided, our legislators and MPs voted as decided by the party,” said JMM working president and chief minister Hemant Soren.
However, at least two senior JMM legislators, Stephen Marandi ane Nalin Soren, said they followed their “conscience” while exercising their franchise. Asked to be specific, Soren said, “Keeping the party’s decision in mind, I voted as per my conscience.”
