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Cent per cent polling in Rajasthan

Special Correspondent

Bharatiya Janata Party claims getting 150 votes

JAIPUR: Cent per cent polling was recorded in the State for the Presidential election on Thursday when the fate of the daughter-in-law of Rajasthan, Pratibha Patil, and her rival, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the son of the soil, was finally decided by the ballot after one of the bitterest and most acrimonious campaigns in the country’s history.

Both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress made claims of polling votes more than their real strength in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly for their respective candidates.

BJP sources put the number of votes their candidate received above 150 -- much more than the party strength of 122 -- while the Congress opted for a safer claim of crossing 60.

The party has a strength of 55 MLAs, of whom one is unattached.

The voter enthusiasm was too evident as all the MLAs voted by 1-45 p.m. and the selective crowd which had gathered at the east gate of the massive edifice had started melting away by 2 p.m. In fact, the polling was so brisk that by 12 noon only four MLAs were left to cast their votes.

The last to arrive was Jagat Singh, son of Natwar Singh, and the last one to cast his vote was Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore, the polling agent for the National Democratic Alliance candidate. No Member of Parliament from Rajasthan voted here.

“Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s candidature ensured 100 per cent polling,” Mr. Rathore told journalists at the end of the exercise.

“We will cross the figure of 150. It is not cross-voting. The MLAs have voted according to their conscience, cutting across groups,” Mr. Rathore claimed.

Tall claims apart, it was obvious that the three MLAs of the Indian National Lok Dal, which has abstained from voting elsewhere—Bahadur Singh, Kaluram Yadav and Vijay Bansal—voted for the NDA-supported candidate. The group presumably received the votes of two Janata Dal (United) MLAs, Fateh Singh and Jeetmal Khat, Samajik Nyaya Manch MLA, Devi Singh Bhati and a majority of the 12 Independent MLAs.

“We expect a minimum of 62 votes in favour of Pratibha Patil,” said Zuber Khan, the election agent for the UPA-Left candidate. In fact, Mr. Khan was waiting rather impatiently for Jagat Singh to come so that he could sign the papers and go away. The Congress side was not seemingly counting on Mr. Jagat Singh. Their scepticism proved correct when Mr. Singh, while coming out after casting his vote, reacting to a query responded: “The election of Pratibha Patil will only harm the interest of the nation.”

The Congress claim of 62 votes is made up of 54 of its own MLAs, two of the BSP, one each of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Lok Janshakti Party, besides four Independents.

However, there are doubts about the stand of LJP MLA Ranvir Singh Gudda who had earlier openXly supported Mr. Shekhawat’s candidature.

“Our count is based on our strength and that of our allies at the Centre. If someone violates the coalition dharma, that is another thing,” said PCC president B.D. Kalla. However, Congress sources hinted that Ms. Patil might get the votes of some more Independents and others too to balance those of the fence sitters.

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