Presidential election: 173 MLAs from Andhra Pradesh vote, two from TDP abstain

VIJAYWADA: A total of 173 of the 175 MLAs from Andhra Pradesh exercised their franchise in the Presidential election in which NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu is pitted against joint opposition pick Yashwant Sinha.

Voting began with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy casting his vote in the AP Legislative Assembly. Speaker Tammineni Sitaram, Ministers and MLAs of the ruling YSRC exercised their franchise. All the 151 YSRC MLAs casted their vote.

While 150 took part in the voting in the Assembly, Kandukur MLA M Mahidhar Reddy exercised his franchise in the Telangana Assembly after getting special permission from the Election Commission of India.

Two TDP MLAs - Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary and Nandamuri Balakrishna - abstained from voting. TDP sources said that both the MLAs went abroad.

Out of the 175 MLAs, the YSRC has 151, TDP 23 and the Janasena one. As both the ruling YSRC and opposition TDP announced their support to NDA's nominee Draupadi Murmu, all the polled votes in the State are expected to go to her credit.

Voting was held under the monitoring by Election Observer Chandrekar Bharati, Election Special Officer Santosh Ajmira, Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena and Assistant Returning Officer K Raj Kumar.

Immediately after the completion of the polling at 5 pm, the ballot box was sealed in the presence of the election officers and shifted to the strong room in the premises of the Assembly. Arrangements are being made for shifting the ballot box to Vijayawada airport amid tight security and taking it to Parliament in the national capital.