'NDA nomination on basis of merit'

New Delhi, Aug 10: Leader of Opposition L K Advani today asserted that the NDA had fielded candidates on the basis of merit in both the Presidential and Vice-Presidential polls and expressed the hope that MPs would vote on merit only.

Talking to reporters after casting his vote for the 13th Vice-Presidential poll, Mr Advani said, ''We are happy that we put up candidates on the basis of merit only and not on the bases of gender and caste.'' Stating that NDA candidate Najma Heptulla was the most meritorious candidate among the three candidates for the Vice Presidential polls, Mr Advani hoped that when the MPs exercise their franchise, they would decide on the basis of merit alone.

Though Mr Advani earlier during the Presidential polls had given a call for voting on the basis of conscience, it had not paid much dividend for the party as NDA-supported Independent Candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was defeated by over three lakh vote values by UPA-Left nominee Pratibha Patil.

Though electoral arithmetic in the vice-presidential poll is in favour of UPA-Left candidate Hamid Ansari, NDA nominee and former Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla is likely to do fairly well as the Shiv Sena is voting in her favour. Earlier, the Shiv Sena had voted for UPA-Left candidate Pratibha Patil in the presidential poll as she belonged to Maharashtra.

Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, who had abstained from voting during the presidential election, was voting in this Vice Presidential poll.

However, she refused to divulge as to who she would vote for, stating that it was a secret ballot.

UNPA constituents like the Samajwadi Party, which had abstained during the presidential polls, are voting in this election as they have put up their own candidate Rashid Masood.

UNI