Pratibha Patil eating into NDA folk in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Jul 21 (UNI) The rebellion in BJP in particular and NDA folk in general in Jharkhand today came to fore once again with UPA-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil getting 49 vote against NDA's Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's 29 from the state.

Leader of Opposition Arjun Munda (BJP) talking to UNI over phone admitted that there was cross voting as the NDA's strength stood at 37 including BJP (30), JD (5) and Independent (2). However, five of the BJP Legislators were suspended.

Mr Munda, however, remained tightlipped on the issue only saying, '' We will review the situation. '' State Congress president Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu thanked all Legislators, who contributed towards installing a woman in the the President's chair for the first time.

'' I was confident of roping in the Opposition, which hardly exists in Jharkhand at present, '' Mr Balmuchu told UNI and stated that from the beginning, he was expecting to get around 47 to 49 votes in favour of Mrs Patil.

He felt that the Legislators mainly cast votes premising their choice on the personality of the candidate.

Asked if the voting pattern showed further erosion in the NDA, he said at present the Madhu Koda-led UPA government had no problem from the Opposition.

The state government was facing ''more'' opposiion from the rulling allies, Mr Balmuchu said in lighter vein indicating the dissatisfaction often expressed by some ministers and MLAs in the UPA.

On July 19, as many as 79 out of the total 81 Legislators of Jharkhand Assembly and jailed former Coal Minister Sibu Soren cast their vote for the 13th presidential election.

Of them, 37 MLAs cast ballots for the first time for Presidential polls.

The lone CPI(ML) MLA Vinod Singh abstained from voting and Upendra Das (BJP) did not vote due to illness.

Incarcerated Jharkhand Mukti Morcha supremo Sibu Soren, who took special permission to take part in the fray, also exercised his franchise here in the afternoon.

Five rebel BJP MLAs -- Pradep Yadav, Manohar Tekriwal, Ravindra Rai, Vishnu Bhaiya and Kunti Singh also exercised their voting right.

However, they did not spell out their choice but maintained that they had cast votes according to their conscience.

Chief Minister Madhu Koda took the lead in ensuring that the UPA members' strength did not get diluted while Opposition leader Arjun Munda was busy keeping the NDA conglomerate intact, till the polling was over.

One nominated member in the 82-member Jharkhand Assembly was not eligible to take part in the polling.

UNI