In Goa, opposition gifts five votes to NDA candidate Kovind

  • | Friday | 21st July, 2017

Panaji: President-elect Ram Nath Kovind got 25 votes from Goa clearly showing five opposition MLAs cast their ballot in the NDA candidate's favour, while two votes were invalid. The opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, got 11 votes.In the 40-member House, the current strength of the assembly is 38. I congratulate those MLAs who have voted in favour of NDA candidate. "We will examine the cross-voting issue at the Congress legislative party meeting on Friday," he said.The lone NCP MLA, Churchill Alemao, said he had voted as per his party's instruction. "Conscience vote is the norm of this election .

Panaji: President-elect Ram Nath Kovind got 25 votes from Goa clearly showing five opposition MLAs cast their ballot in the NDA candidate's favour, while two votes were invalid. The opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, got 11 votes.In the 40-member House, the current strength of the assembly is 38. While BJP and its allies along with the Independents have 21 members—12 MLAs from BJP, three each from Goa Forward Party and MGP and three Independents—Congress has 16 and NCP a lone member in the House.Chief minister Manohar Parrikar told TOI that one of their votes got invalid due to a technical error."Conscience vote is the norm of this election . I congratulate those MLAs who have voted in favour of NDA candidate. I also congratulate Ram Nath Kovind for his success and under his guidance, India will progress extremely well," Parrikar said.He said those who have done cross-voting must have thought Kovind was a better candidate.Parrikar said since 1966, people have voted in the presidential election as per their conscience and this time, too, both BJP and Congress had appealed to MLAs and MPs to vote accordingly.Opposition leader Chandrakant Kavlekar said cross-voting by Congress members was a serious issue. "We will examine the cross-voting issue at the Congress legislative party meeting on Friday," he said.The lone NCP MLA, Churchill Alemao, said he had voted as per his party's instruction.

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