Gandhinagar: Seven Members of Legislative Assembly(MLA) in Gujarat from Congress party voted for ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in Presidential poll, voting for which took place on July 18. Counting of votes took place on July 21st in which it was revealed that 7 Congress MLAs voted in favor of BJP candidate Droupadi Murmu. The BJP that has 111 strength in the State assembly managed to attract 121 votes in favor of its candidate Droupadi Murmu, far more than expected.

According to prima facie details available, out of 178 MLAs who cast votes in Gujarat in Presidential election, BJP candidate Droupadi Murmu received 121 votes. Though voting is secret, it is believed that apart from 111 votes of BJP, Murmu also got two votes of Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) MLAs Chhotu and Mahesh Vasava and one vote of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Kandhal Jadeja. The tally would reach 114 with this. However the BJP candidate received 121 votes, which means seven extra votes came from Congress MLAs.

Congress has 63 MLAs in State assembly, while one independent MLA Jignesh Mevani has joined Congress. Thus the party’s tally is 64. However only 57 voted in favor of Congress-alliance candidate Yashwant Sinha. Who could be the Congress MLA who cast votes in favor of BJP candidate is difficult to find for Congress leaders because of the secret voting provision in the Presidential election.

It’s worth noting that the leader of opposition in Gujarat Assembly and senior tribal leader of Congress party, Sukhram Rathwa himself had in talk to media persons on the day of polling described BJP’s decision to select a tribal woman Droupadi Murmu as candidate for Presidential election as a masterstroke.

Of the total 182 seats in the Gujarat assembly, two are vacant after the demise of two MLAs — Asha Patel and Anil Joshiyara, while one is vacant due to resignation of Congress MLA Ashwin Kotwal.
The High court has set aside the election of Dwarka MLA Pabhubha Manek and the matter is pending in the Supreme Court.

Gujarat is going to witness the general election of the State assembly in December this year.

States which saw most cross-voting by MLAs

Assam: 22

Madhya Pradesh: 19

Maharashtra: 16

Uttar Pradesh: 12

Gujarat: 10

Jharkhand: 10

Bihar: 6

Chhattisgarh: 6

Rajasthan 5

Goa 4

DeshGujarat