Shekhawat could draw a blank in Red Bengal

It8217;s not official yet, but Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the BJP backed independent candidate for the President8217;s post, is unlikely to get the backing of a single legislator from West Bengal. With the various parties having already stated that they would vote for UPA candidate Pratibha Patil, and the Trinamool Congress having decided not to vote, only 260 MLAs cast their votes.

The Trinamool Congress has 30 MLAs officially, but dissident Sadhan Pandey, who is under suspension from the party, turned up to vote for the UPA candidate in defiance of party leader Mamata Banerjee8217;s stricture. 8220;The party didn8217;t give me anything in writing. When I had a talk with Partha Chatterjee leader of the Opposition over the phone, I told him that you don8217;t inform me of your decisions.8221;

The two legislators of the Socialist Unity Centre of India SUCI also stayed away. Congress8217;s Mahabubul Haque and Left Front8217;s Nani Gopal Roy could not come to the Assembly to vote.