Polling for Presidential post commence in Orissa Assembly

Bhubaneswar, July 19 (UNI) Polling for the Presidential elections commenced in the Orissa Assembly here today amid tight security at 1000 hours.

The Orissa Assembly has a strength of 147 members, of which 38 belong to the Congress while the ruling BJD and BJP together has a strength of 93 members (BJD-61 and BJP-32).

The CPI and the CPM have one member each in the Assembly and the JMM has a strength of four MLAs. Orissa Gana Parishad (OGP), a regional party has two MLAs.

There were as many as eight Independent MLAs in the House, of which seven have extended their support to the ruling BJD-BJP coalition government while Jashipur MLA Sambhunath Nayak, a SUCI leader has been supporting the Opposition.

Assembly sources said BJP MLA from Baliguda Karendra Majhi will cast his ballot in New Delhi. Mr Majhi has already intimated his decision in this regard to the Assembly Secretariat.

UNI