After NDA’s nominee Droupadi Murmu defeated joint Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in the Presidential poll held on Thursday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed that many non-BJP MLAs from the state had voted for Murmu.
In a video message, Chouhan thanked the non-BJP MLAs in Madhya Pradesh for cross-voting, saying, “I extend my heartfelt thanks to the MLAs of other parties who, after listening to the voice of their conscience, decided to make Droupadi Murmu the next President of India.”
Though it was suspected that around five to six Congress MLAs might indulge in cross-voting, the results suggest that over 10 of its legislators have likely cross-voted, which might be a cause of worry for the party.
As per reports, Murmu polled 146 out of the 225 valid votes cast in Madhya Pradesh. With 230 MLAS, Madhya Pradesh had reported 100 per cent voting in the Presidential poll. Five votes were found invalid.
The BJP has 127 MLAs in the state and thus 146 votes to Murmu means 19 cross-votes. However, the recent defection of one MLA each from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and one Independent MLA technically took BJP’s support tally to 130.
Also, Sachin Birla, the Congress MLA from Barwaha in Khargone, had jumped ship to the BJP last year and his disqualification plea is pending before the court
Add to this three Independent MLAs and one BSP legislator, which will take the NDA Presidential candidate’s tally to 135.
However, the fact that 146 out of the 225 valid votes went to Murmu suggests that 11 Congress MLAs cross-voted apart from Sachin Birla. The Congress has 96 MLAs in the state, including Birla.
The fact that Madhya Pradesh has a large tribal population with 47 tribal MLAs — including 31 from the Congress and 16 from the BJP — might have favoured Murmu, who is from the tribal community, sources said.
While it will be difficult for the Congress to identify the MLAs who cross-voted as the election was held through secret ballot, the party leadership will hold a meeting of its MLAs to get to the bottom of the matter.
