Next President of India: BJP inches closer with AIADMK backing

Both factions of the AIADMK are likely to support the BJP to elect the next President of India. The support of the AIADMK is very crucial for the BJP which is looking to elect its candidate as the next President of India in July. The term of Pranab Mukherjee comes to an end in July following which the Presidential elections will be held.

The decision by the AIADMK is interesting and comes in the wake of the opposition uniting to chose its candidate. The opposition is looking to unite and select a presidential candidate of its choice. The opposition has suggested the name of Gopal Krishna Gandhi, Sharad Yadav and Sharad Pawar. The BJP on the other is considering Jharkhand governor, Draupadi Murmu as its candidate.

The BJP will need the support of the AIADMK and the BJD in case it would have to elect a President of its choice. The party is currently short by a vote value of 17,500.

The value of each elected TN MLA 's votes is 176 and it is 708 for all elected members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. A majority of the 122 MLAs and 50 MPs back Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, E Palanisami. The opposition DMK which will vote for the opposition's candidate has 97 MLAs and four MPs.

How the numbers stack up:

Thanks to mammoth victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the vote value of the BJP and its allies have gone up. he BJP and its allies have a vote value of 5.32 lakh in the electoral college. This is short by 17,500 of the half way mark. If the BJP gets the support of the BJD and the AIADMK, then the vote value would go up to 6,28,195. The vote value of 5,49,442 is enough to elect the President in the electoral college. The electoral college comprises 4,896 legislators. This includes the 776 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and 4,120 MLAs. The nominated members and the MLCs are not eligible to vote.

The vote value of each LS and RS member is 708. The vote value of the MLA depends on the population of the state. The vote value of an MLA is equivalent to the population of the state divided by the number of elected legislators divided, yet again, by 1,000. In UP the vote value of an MLA is the highest. It is at 209. The lowest vote value is from Sikkim at 7.

Currently the BJP and its allies have a vote value of 5,31,954. The BJP would need 17,488 and it would depend on the BJD and AIADMK for the same. The vote value of 134 AIADMK MLAs is 23,584. The vote value of 50 AIADMK MPs is 35,400. The BJD MLAs have a vote value of 17,433 while its 28 MLAs have a vote value of 19,824.

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