E-Paper
Presidential poll, if needed, on July 17; counting of votes on July 20: EC
The election for India’s 14th President, if necessary, will be held on July 17, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday, setting the stage for another electoral battle between the Narendra Modi-led NDA and the Opposition.
The election for India’s 14th President, if necessary, will be held on July 17, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday, setting the stage for another electoral battle between the Narendra Modi-led NDA and the Opposition.
Incumbent President Pranab Mukherjee completes his five-year term on July 24.
The Congress-led Opposition parties have already formed a panel to pick their presidential candidate even as it wants the government to propose a suitable name. The NDA leadership is, however, mum on possible names from its side. Sources said the BJP will consult allies and announce its candidate after the EC declares the schedule of the poll.
The electoral college to pick a President comprises of all elected MPs and MLAs. Each vote also has a weightage or value depending on the size of the population he or she represents.
MPs have the highest value — 708 — for each vote, while the value of an MLA’s vote depends on the population of the state.
The good show in Uttar Pradesh, which has 83,824 votes in the presidential election, has brightened the BJP’s prospects to push its own candidate in the presidential poll.
In the past, the NDA has seen a split in its ranks when it came to voting for a new President. In 2007, the BJP’s trusted ally Shiv Seva had supported the Congress-backed Pratibha Patil, a Maratha.
The last presidential polls, too, had witnessed a dramatic fight when former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma left his party to contest as a common candidate of the BJD, AIADMK and the NDA.
This year, too, political pundits expect a tough contest in the presidential polls.
