Arrangements complete for Prez poll

Hyderabad, July 17 (UNI) All arrangements have been made at the committee hall in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for tomorrow's Presidential elections to elect the country's 13th President.

Officials of the Election Commission told UNI here that the polling would take place from 1000 to 1700 hrs tomorrow. The materials to be used in the election was stored in the storing room.

The ballot boxes and ballot papers would be opened in front of the party election observers as per the rules.

Meanwhile, AICC Secretary Suresh and former Goa Chief Minister Luzinho Falerio, who were overseeing the arrangements made by the State Congress for the elections, discussed the poll strategy with Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to ensure that all MLAs exercise their franchise.

The opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a constituent of the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), and the All India Mujlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) had already announced that its party MLAs would not participate in the election.

In the Presidental poll, 186 Congress MLAs, 26 from Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS), nine from Communist Party of India-Marxists (CPI-M), six from CPI, two each from the BJP and the Janata Party, one each from the BSP and the Samajwadi Party and 11 Independent MLAs would vote.

However, 45 TDP MLAs and five AIMIM party MLAs would not participate in the polling.

UNI