Mumbai: A day after the Opposition was faced with evidence of cross-voting in favour of NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, the Congress and NCP claimed that none of their MLAs had done so. With the Assembly’s monsoon session set to begin on Monday, the Opposition showed divisive cracks.
Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil told The Hindu that none of his party MLAs cross-voted. “We are committed to the party.” Congress State unit chief Ashok Chavan too ridiculed the claim, saying those accusing the party should present evidence. “The presidential election is one of ideologies. BJP is involved in dirty politics.”
The NCP echoed the Congress stand. “No MLA from NCP voted for Mr. Kovind,” Sunil Tatkare, NCP State unit chief, said.
Meira kumar, the UPA candidate, was to get 87 votes from Maharashtra from the Opposition parties but got only 77 votes, giving rise to speculation that the Congress and NCP lost around eight to 10 votes. Adding fuel to the fire, Congress leader Satyajit Tambe from Ahmednagar district tweeted on Friday that two Opposition MLAs from his district voted NDA.
Mr. Vikhe-Patil hails from the same district, and rumours abounded over the growing closeness between him and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Mr. Chavan has asked Mr. Tambe to submit his allegations on the appropriate party platform, and not to the media.