BJP, Congress to exercise first preference vote in Prez poll

Jaipur, JulY 17 (UNI) The ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress today decided to excercise only first preference vote in the July 19 presidential polling.

The BJP, which met here today to finalise its strategy and brief MLAs on procedural aspects of the polling on Thursday, decided to exercise only first priority vote in favour of NDA-supported Independent candidate Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Rajasthan PWD Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore told UNI that a total of 135 MLAs from BJP, NDA allies and supporting Independents were invited for the meeting.

He said a total of 129 MLAs participated in the meeting which was Chaired by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Party General Secretaries Gopinath Munde and Om Prakash Mathur, Treasurer Ramdas Agrawal and state President Mahesh Sharma also present in the meeting.

The MLAs were asked to exercise only first preference votes, Mr Rathore said.

They were asked to assemble in the assembly lobby at 0915 hrs on July 19 from where they would proceed to cast their vote, Mr Rathore added.

The BJP enjoys commandable majority in the electoral college in Rajasthan holding 122 seats in the 200-member in the State Assembly.

Of these, one Surendra Singh stands expelled from the party.

The ruling party is also banking on the support from three members of Indian National Lok Dal, two mmebers of the JD(U), one Samajik Nyaya Manch MLA and some of the 13 Independents.

Among MPs, the BJP at present has 21 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats from the state and six of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats.

The opposition Congress has opted for dinner politics to hold collective informal interaction with the party MLAs.

A party spokesman told UNI that the party leadership had taken decision for excercising only the first preference vote in favour of UPA PresidentAL nominee Ms Pratibha Patil and the same had been conveyed to the party legislators.

The party had won 55 seats in the 200-member state assembly. Of this, one member former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh's son Jagat Singh presently stands expelled from the party.

Besides, the party is expecting vote for Ms Pratibha Patil from BSP(2 MLAs), CPI(M)(one MLA), Lok Janshakti Party(one MLA) and at least two of the 13 Independents.

UNI