Polling progresses smoothly for Presidential election in Maharashtra

Mumbai, JulY 19 (UNI) Polling to elect the next President of India was progressing smoothly in Maharashtra with 260 MLAs and 17 MPs casting their votes in the Central Hall at Vidhan Bhavan till 1350 hrs today.

The voting which began at 1000 hrs amid tight security will end at 1700 hrs. Police bandobast was tight at all roads leading to the Vidhan Bhavan complex in south Mumbai.

All 16 MPs of the Shiv Sena and BJP MP Ved Prakash Goyal exercised their franchise in the state capital while Congress MLA Kripashankar Singh cast his vote in Delhi.

NCP, BJP and Congress legislators were among the first to cast their votes. Shiv Sena MLAs and MPs first paid homage to the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement at Hutatma Chowk and came to Vidhan Bhavan in a huge group wearing saffron headgear to cast their votes.

Earlier, at Hutatma Chowk, former Lok Sabha Speaker and senior sena leader Manohar Joshi said that the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra shared a unique and strong relationship.

''We have come to pay homage to the people who fought for Maharashtra as a state of marathi-speaking people. The elevation of Mrs Pratibha Patil as the next President of India, will be a shining glory in the state's history,'' he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative assembly Ramdas Kadam said that it was a matter of pride that a Maharashtrian woman will be elected to the top post.

PWD minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said the dream of women's empowerment envisaged by Savitribai Phule and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule will be realised when Mrs Patil is sworn in as the next President of India.

BJP MLA Raj Purohit, who is the chief whip of his party in the Legislature, said out that of the 54 party MLAs, only Suresh Dhas did not come to vote because of the demise of his father.

UNI