Normal elections for Rahul Gandhi, Vajpayee reaches on wheelchairs

New Delhi, July 19 (UNI) Even as many senior leaders made great efforts to reach Parliament House to cast vote for the Presidential polls today, for Congress ''Youth Brigade'' leader Rahul Gandhi it was just a ''normal election.'' The initial couple of hours witnessed brisk polling with a number of senior leaders like Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister Shivraj Patil, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, accompanied with his daughter Supriya Sule, and a host of other politicians reaching the Room No 63 in Parliament House where six polling booths were set up.

However, Mr Gandhi was among the last few to reach the venue. He avoided media but on persistent questioning about his experience in participating in the voting for the highest post of the Republic, he said, ''I won't say anything. It is a normal election. I just came and voted.'' -X-X-X- -X-X-X- -X-X-X- Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee reached the venue on a wheelchair to cast his vote. Since wheelchairs could not pass the automatic security gates of the Parliament House, two wheelchairs were used to ensure that the senior BJP leader who suffers from knee allments could reach the venue safely.

Mr Vajpayee, however, parried questions regarding whether NDA did the right thing by backing Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as its candidate. He however did not rule out the possibiliyt of a consensus emerging on the candidate for the forthcoming Vice Presidential elections.

Regarding the division in NDA on the issue of Presidential elections as Shiv Sena supported the UPA nominee, Mr Vajpayee said that ''They all will come together again now.'' -X-X-X- -X-X-X- -X-X-X- Lok Janshakti Party Pappu Yadav came from Tihar Jail to cast his vote in the elections for the highest constitutional post. The MP, who is facing murder charges, came to the Parliament House on a jail vehicle.

Another jailed MP Mohammad Shahabuddin would cast his vote in Patna. Both the MPs belong to Bihar.

-X-X-X- -X-X-X- -X-X-X- Among the people casting vote in Parliament were eight MLAs from various states. Generally MPs cast their votes in Parliament and MLAs in their respective state assemblies. But these legislators could vote in Parliament after seeking permission from the Election Commission.

About 58 MPs had also taken EC permission to vote in state assemblies. Tranamool Congress leader Mamta Banerjee and her party colleagues had sought permission to cast vote in Kolkata. While Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi, who is an MP from Kerala, had sought permission to cast vote in Chennai.

The MPs used green ballot papers while MLAs used pink ballots.

They were not allowed to carry mobile phones to the polling booths to ensure secrecy of voting process.

UNI