In state, Kovind the clear winner
Elected members of the Rajasthan assembly voted on Monday to elect the 14th President. Of the 200 MLAs in the state, 199 voted in the assembly and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot in Gujarat.
Urban development and housing (UDH) minister Shrichand Kriplani was the first to vote, and Independent MLA Anju Dhanka voted last at 2.15pm. The polling was held between 10am and 5pm. The result will be out on Thursday. BJP-led NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind has the advantage against his opponent Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker and the opposition’s nominee. Kovind is expected to garner more than 70% of the votes as the NDA enjoys a brute majority in the Lok Sabha and in 17 states.
On Sunday, the Congress and the BJP gave training to their members on voting.
“We and our (candidate) Meira Kumar have appealed to all to vote after listening to their conscience. Kumar is coming from that section of society which has served the country,” said Rameshwar Dudi, Leader of Opposition in the assembly.
“Every section of society is suffering under BJP governance, be it farmers who are committing suicide, or unemployed youths.”
Dudi said apart from 24 Congress MLAs, two BSP (Manoj Kumar Nyangli and Pooranmal Saini) and three independents – Rajkumar Sharma, Hanuman Beniwal and Nandkishore Maharia — have supported Kumar.
Apart from 161 BJP MLAs, two of the Zamindara Party, four of NPP, and four independents – Narendra Kumar, Manik Chand, Randhir Singh and Anju devi -have supported Kovind.
Home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said, “It is a memorable day that we cast votes to elect the President, that too in such a big number from Rajasthan, which never happened before.”
Minister Kiran Maheshwari said, “There could have been no better candidate than Kovind, who reached such a height from a party worker.” Before the election, social justice minister Arun Chaturvedi said, “Many from the opposition who, after listening to their conscience, will vote for the NDA candidate.”
CM Vasundhara Raje’s detractor and BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari said, “I do not have issues with BJP but with Raje. I have old relations with Kovind and am happy that he is going to be the President. My soul, since my childhood, is with BJP and I am sure Kovind will get around 70% votes in the country.”
Supporting the NDA candidate, NPP MLA Kiori Lal Meena said, “Our central leadership has supported Kovind.” Asked whether this tie-up will continue in Rajasthan, he said issue-based agitations would go on. BSP MLA Nyangli said, “Our party has decided to support Kumar. Supporting BJP and its dictatorial governance is unjustified.”