MLAs asked to give first preference votes to Pratibha Patil

Mumbai, July 17 (UNI) Maharashtra MLAs, attached to the ruling combine, have been asked to give first preference votes to Pratibha Patil, the UPA-Left Presidential nominee in the July 19 presidential election.

The directives were given at a Legislature party meeting of Congress, NCP and other supporting independents this morning.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress President Prabha Rau and NCP state unit chief Arun Gujarathi along with Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil were present on the occasion.

The MLAs were briefed on the voting pattern and were told to give first preference votes only to Ms Patil.

A meeting has been convened tomorrow at 1800 hrs at Cricket Club of India (CCI) where all Central ministers, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and members of his Council of Ministers and legislators have been invited to discuss the issue.

Congress sources said they had not yet received any communication from Delhi whether Ms Patil is arriving here tomorrow for campaigning. Earlier, Congress had said she would visit Mumbai on July 18.

UNI