Presidential poll: AAP, Congress back Yashwant Sinha; 3 Punjab MLAs abstain

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, July 18

Political rivalry aside, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress found themselves on the same side as they voted for Yashwant Sinha, the Opposition’s candidate for the Presidential elections.

There was, however, nothing more into it, as leaders from both sides continued their tirade against each other. Ruling party legislators called Opposition MLAs “corrupt” and threatened to expose them in the coming days, while Congress MLAs alleged political vendetta.

114 of 117 MLAs cast their vote

• The value of each legislator’s vote is 116
• None of Punjab MPs cast their vote in Chandigarh
• SAD’s Manpreet Ayali, and Congress’ Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal and Hardev Singh did not exercise their franchise
• CM Bhagwant Mann cast his vote at 12.30 pm. “I hope that the new President, whosoever is elected, will work for the country’s welfare,” he said

While the AAP MLAs and ministers openly talked of acts of omission and commission during the previous government’s tenure, the Opposition MLAs hit back, saying the ministers would be exposed in the next Assembly session.

“The Congress has been receiving several complaints of wrongdoings by ministers. Wait for a month, they (ministers and MLAs) will be exposed and in the next session. We advise them to be on their guard,” said Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, claiming the cases against his party colleagues were politically motivated.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has three MLAs and its ally, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one. They all cast their vote.

The realpolitik between the AAP and Congress aside, what really caught everyone unaware was the open rebellion by SAD leader Manpreet Singh Ayali.

He defied the party diktat to support NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu in the presidential polls and announced that he would abstain from voting.

“My conscience does not allow me to vote for the NDA candidate, as the alliance at the Centre has been working against the interests of Punjab. Be it the question of river waters or claim over Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas, it has never kept the interests of Punjab in mind,” he told The Tribune.

Legislators from the ruling party started reaching the Vidhan Sabha, the venue for the polling, at 10 am. By 11 am, 85 MLAs of AAP and the Congress cast their vote.

Revenue and Water Resources Minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa said AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had asked party MLAs to support Sinha, who, he said, was a “distinguished politician and bureaucrat”.

“The party wants people of eminence to rule the country and that is why we backed Sinha. The Congress could have its own reasons to back him,” he added.