GANDHINAGAR: All the eligible 178 MLAs of the Gujarat assembly cast their votes along with one member of Parliament in the 2022 presidential election on Monday. The lone NCP MLA in the house, Kandhal Jadeja, claimed he voted for NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu despite his party supporting the opposition candidate. Meanwhile, Parimal Nathwani, Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh, also voted at the Gujarat assembly after seeking prior permission of the Parliament secretariat.
The MLAs began casting their vote from 10 am in the assembly where the election was held amid tight security.
After casting his vote, leader of opposition in the assembly Sukhram Rathwa said, “It appears as if the BJP has scored a masterstroke by nominating a tribal candidate as President. It seems to be a ploy to send out a message to the tribal electorate that the BJP is with it since elections are scheduled in Gujarat and later in MP and Rajasthan. But this will not change the equation in Gujarat,” he said.
Rathwa added that the Congress expects the next President of India to uphold constitutional values and ensure that law and order is maintained.
State government spokesperson and education minister Jitu Vaghani claimed that NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu will win the Presidential election with a record margin. “Non-NDA parties too have pledged their support for Droupadi Murmu. I hope that tribal MLAs from the state will listen to their inner voice and vote for Murmu. I also appeal to the MLAs in the opposition to vote for her,” he said.
Parimal Nathwani, Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh, cast his vote at the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha around noon on Monday. He represents the YSR Congress party in the parliament.
“I feel honoured to have voted in the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha which I have visited for the first time,” Nathwani said after casting his vote.
Lone NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja claimed he had voted for the NDA nominee. “I have cast my vote in favour of the BJP candidate,” he said while maintaining that he did not vote against the party line. The NCP had earlier announced support to the opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha. BTP MLA Chhotu Vasava said he voted for a candidate who will work in the interest of the poor.
A total of 178 of the 182 MLAs of the Gujarat legislative assembly were eligible to cast their votes for the election. These include 111 of the BJP, 63 of the Congress, two from the Bharatiya Tribal Party, one from the NCP and one independent.
