Eleven invalid votes cast for Presidential polls

Bhopal, July 21 (UNI) As many as eleven votes cast in the 13th presidential election in Madhya Pradesh were invalid and have become a subject of analysis.

Of the 228 members in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, 226 had exercised their franchise. There are 169 BJP and 40 Congress members in the Vidhan Sabha.

However, BJP-supported Independent Bhaironsinh Shekhawat has secured 162 votes, while UPA-Left nominee Pratibha Patil got 53.

The Congress has managed 13 additional votes besides those of its 40 legislators. The Congress already had support of five MLAs belonging to supporting parties but the party managed to rope in eight more votes.

The 169 votes of BJP MLAs included five votes of suspended BJP legislators. The Congress had claimed to have contacted these legislators before polling.

It was being speculated that seven votes cast by the BJP were invalid, as Mr Shekhawat received 162 votes instead of 169.

Political observers were pondering whether these seven invalid votes included votes of five BJP legislators, who were suspended from the party for supporting Bharatiya Jan Shakti President Uma Bharti.

Other four invalid votes are understood to be of other parties.

It was being believed that that Congress managed votes of SP (4), BSP (2), CPI-M (1), JD(U) (1), Gondwana Ganatantra Party (1), Rashtriya Samanta Dal (1), NCP (1) and independents (2).

It had been speculated that one vote of the Rashtriya Samanta Dal, two from the GGP and one of the SP were in the favour of the BJP.

Political observers were pondering whether these votes were also invalid or was there some other reason for the BJP not getting the benefit.

UNI