Modi govt’s victory margin likely to go up after final count

NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government’s winning margin in the vote on the no confidence motion is set to increase after the final results are officially declared on Monday.

After the voting through electronic machines attached to the seats, the government got 325 votes while the Opposition managed to get just 126 votes as three regional parties, Biju Janata Dal, BJP ally Shiv Sena and Telengana Rashtriya Samithi didn’t vote.

But as the ballot votes were counted, the NDA’s winning margin is likely to go up by 4-5 votes.

“As per our calculation, the government will get additional 8-9 votes in the ballot while the Opposition is expected to mop up another 4 or 5 votes. So the net difference of around 4-5 votes will go in favour of the ruling side”, said a political functionary.

Several MPs sought ballot papers to cast their votes or to amend them after the electronic voting was over, officials said on Saturday.

The final result will be declared by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Monday when the House meets for the monsoon session.

According to functionaries in the ruling establishment, 81MPs didn’t vote after the first count.

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj’s vote was not marked electronically.

Apart from her, BJP’s Kirti Azad, Vitthalbhai Radadiya, Bharat Singh, Pradan Baruah and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Ranjit Singh’s votes were not registered in the electronic system.

“This is a very common thing in a floor test. Sometimes the members press wrong buttons. That’s the reason why there is a provision for a ballot even after casting a vote electronically. On Friday too, whoever wanted to cast their vote in ballots, were allowed to do so,” said an official.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda failed to register his vote in the electronic voting.