New Delhi: Massive cross voting in the Presidential elections in favour of BJP-led NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind could work as a major dampener to the planned 'greater opposition unity' for the 2019 general elections - even as some Congress leaders outright reject such contentions. Legislators across the states from Tripura in northeast to Gujarat in the west liberally took advantage of the 'secret ballot' mechanism and no-whip is applicable norms upsetting the Meira Kumar camp in more ways than one.
In Gujarat, BJP Chief Minister Vijay Rupani himself claimed about cross-voting in favour of Mr Kovind and said, “We have 121 MLAs but our candidate (Kovind) received 132 votes. Eleven MLAs have voted in our favour from the opposition party. This speaks about what is going on in the Congress party.”
Ms Kumar's votes in the western state - which is going to the polls in November-December later this year - nose dived to 49 while Congress on its own has 57 MLAs and two NCP legislators were also expected to vote in favour of opposition nominee. The cross-voting came as a significant blow to the Congress in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state - wherein Congress party is also facing strong rebellion from party veteran Shankersinh Vaghela, otherwise a former BJP man.
The cross-voting is also seen as a 'tussle' between Vaghela and Bharatsinh Solanki. "There will be no long term consequence of this," Solanki tried to put up a brave face. In Maharashtra, united opposition nominee Ms Kumar was expected to get 87 votes - but managed only
10 short (77).
The vote count has virtually put Trinamool Congress on defensive - as no sooner the results were declared, Mamata Banerjee-led outfit declared: "All 211 MLAs of Trinamool voted for Meira Kumar. We do not know what MLAs of other parties may have done". In West Bengal, BJP candidate for presidential election Ram Nath Kovind garnered support of 11 MLAs while Meira Kumar -- who had obtained support of the Congress, Trinamool and the Left -- managed to win support of 273 MLAs.
The BJP has only three legislators in Bengal and its ally Gorkha Janmukti Morcha also has strength of three. In Tripura, where cross voting was a foregone conclusion - with zero strength in the assembly - BJP managed 7 votes - six from Trinamool and one from Congress.
The developments in Tripura would be great encouraging factor for the saffron party - on the eve of state assembly elections in March next year. (UNI)