Parties probe cross-voting in Presidential poll

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsEven though ruling out any cross-voting from their ranks in Thursday’s Presidential poll, the BJD and the Congress suspect that some of their MLAs may have voted outside the party line.Sources said both parties have started internal probes into possible cross-voting by their MLAs. Congress leaders suspect that three to four of their legislators may have voted for Presidential candidate PA Sangma. BJD managers also fear that some of the dissidents may have voted for UPA Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee. Cross-voting talks are doing the rounds in political circles here though it is very difficult to pinpoint those who have done it. In the midst of this confusion, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday left for New Delhi for a three-day visit. Naveen, who will review the status of the projects pending with the Centre at a meeting to be attended by resident commissioner, said the party is yet to decide whom to support for Vice-Presidential race. The process of consultation is still on, he said.The OPCC, however, maintained that the BJD MLAs were under tremendous pressure to show their loyalty to Naveen in the Presidential polls. The manner in which Prabhat Biswal and Pranab Prakash Das showed their ballot papers after voting clearly showed that they were under pressure, OPCC media cell chairman Narasingh Mishra said and added this showed that the Chief Minister was nervous.While Biswal’s vote has already been rejected, the Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding rejection of vote of Das. Leaders of both the camps are, however, tightlipped about the issue of cross-voting except asserting that there was no such thing.With the Presidential elections over, the focus has now shifted to the expansion of ministry. A large number of ministerial aspirants are waiting for this exercise after the May 29 failed coup bid. Sources said with the Monsoon Session of the Assembly likely from August last week, the Chief Minister will have to expand his ministry before that. There are now five vacancies in the ministry.first published:July 21, 2012, 12:41 ISTlast updated:July 21, 2012, 12:41 IST
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Even though ruling out any cross-voting from their ranks in Thursday’s Presidential poll, the BJD and the Congress suspect that some of their MLAs may have voted outside the party line.

Sources said both parties have started internal probes into possible cross-voting by their MLAs. Congress leaders suspect that three to four of their legislators may have voted for Presidential candidate PA Sangma. BJD managers also fear that some of the dissidents may have voted for UPA Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee. Cross-voting talks are doing the rounds in political circles here though it is very difficult to pinpoint those who have done it. In the midst of this confusion, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday left for New Delhi for a three-day visit. Naveen, who will review the status of the projects pending with the Centre at a meeting to be attended by resident commissioner, said the party is yet to decide whom to support for Vice-Presidential race. The process of consultation is still on, he said.

The OPCC, however, maintained that the BJD MLAs were under tremendous pressure to show their loyalty to Naveen in the Presidential polls. The manner in which Prabhat Biswal and Pranab Prakash Das showed their ballot papers after voting clearly showed that they were under pressure, OPCC media cell chairman Narasingh Mishra said and added this showed that the Chief Minister was nervous.

While Biswal’s vote has already been rejected, the Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding rejection of vote of Das. Leaders of both the camps are, however, tightlipped about the issue of cross-voting except asserting that there was no such thing.

With the Presidential elections over, the focus has now shifted to the expansion of ministry. A large number of ministerial aspirants are waiting for this exercise after the May 29 failed coup bid. Sources said with the Monsoon Session of the Assembly likely from August last week, the Chief Minister will have to expand his ministry before that. There are now five vacancies in the ministry.