Congress could not prevent MLAs from cross voting

New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Despite all efforts the Congress could not stop its MLAs from cross voting in the presidential poll. MLAs in Odisha and Telangana went against the party line to support NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu.

Congress MLA in Odisha Mohammed Moquim himself informed the media about this after casting his vote. "I have listened to my conscience which guided me to do something for the soil and I voted for her though I am a Congress MLA and it is my personal decision."

In the Presidential poll no whip is issued and the voters have the right to choose.

Congress MLA Danasari Anasuya Seethakka, who was rumoured to have voted for the NDA candidate later clarified that she has not voted for the wrong candidate but one supported by the party and she only had an issue with the ballot paper.

These are some MLAs whose cross voting has come to light but many Congress MLAs switched sides and the party is trying to identify them.

Not only Congress MLAs but its allies like the JMM too drifted away as they voted for Murmu.

In parliament Congress MPs lined up to vote including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, while ailing former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came on a wheelchair. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast the first vote as per sources while RK Singh came in PPE kit.

As per the Election Commission, out of a total of 771 Members of Parliament entitled to vote (5 vacant) and similarly out of a total of 4025 Members of the Legislative Assemblies entitled to vote (6 vacant and 2 disqualified), over 99% cast their votes. However 100% voting by MLAs was reported from Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Puducherry, Sikkim, Mizoram and Tamil Nadu.