Presidential polls: At least 11 Cong MLAs cross-voted in MP

Murmu's victory assumes greater significance in MP which has the highest tribal population in the country and has 47 reserved Schedule Tribe seats. Of these 47 seats, Congress had won 31 ST seats while 16 went to the BJP in the 2018 Assembly elections.

Droupadi Murmur's victory in Madhya Pradesh came despite Congress having 96 MLAs in the House of 230. (PTI)

There is disquiet within Madhya Pradesh Congress after NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupdi Murmu polled 146 votes from the state Assembly against the Opposition’s Yashwant Sinha who managed only 79 votes. This comes despite the Congress having 96 MLAs in the House of 230.

But with five votes being declared invalid, of the 225 remaining votes, Murmu secured 146, effectively meaning at least 19 MLAs cross-voted, including 11 from the Congress.

Must Read | Explained: 5 things to know about Droupadi Murmu, President of India

The ruling BJP has 127 MLAs, Congress has 96, while two belong to Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP), one to SP and four are Independents. Recently, one BSP, one SP and another Independent candidate had defected to the BJP, taking the party’s strength to 130 and had likely voted for Murmu.

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Among the Congress’ 96 MLAs, Sachin Birla — the party’s sitting MLA from Barwaha in Khargone — had defected to the BJP ahead of the Khandwa Lok Sabha bypolls with his disqualification plea pending, leaving Congress’ effective strength at 95.

After the Presidential results, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “…several MLAs apart from those with BJP have listened to their inner voice and voted for Murmuji. I would like to extend my thanks to all the MLA who were not with the BJP and yet voted for her.”

Also Read | Presidential polls: Cross-voting for Murmu bares cracks in Opposition unity

Murmu’s victory assumes greater significance in MP which has the highest tribal population in the country and has 47 reserved Schedule Tribe seats. Of these 47 seats, Congress had won 31 ST seats while 16 went to the BJP in the 2018 Assembly elections.

Ahead of the presidential elections, state Congress president Kamal Nath had alleged that the party’s tribal MLAs were being offered money by the BJP to cross vote. “We will get the entire issue investigated and once those who have cross voted are zeroed down, action will be taken against them,” Nath said after the election result.

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