The Hindu : National : UNPA denies fissures in Front

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Friday, Jul 20, 2007
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National

UNPA denies fissures in Front

Gargi Parsai

All leaders to gather in Delhi today

Front not weakened: Amar Singh
NDA appeal paid off: Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: Despite the “conscious decision” to abstain from voting in the Presidential election on Thursday, several MPs from the newly-formed United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) exercised their franchise.

A majority of MPs from the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Asom Gana Parishad voted. Those who stayed away were members of the Telugu Desam Party, Babulal Marandi and P.C. Thomas. Barring Phulpur MP Atiq Khan and three “rebels,” the Samajwadi Party (SP) also abstained.

While AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa put out a statement in Chennai blaming it on “confusion created by the Election Commission,” SP general secretary Amar Singh put up a brave front, declaring that the “front was not weakened” by the AIADMK’s surprise move. To support his contention, he said all the eight leaders were coming together in New Delhi on Friday for the filing of nomination papers of Rasheed Masood, the front’s Vice-Presidential candidate.

The eight-party front includes the TDP, the AIADMK, the MDMK, the Indian National Lok Dal, the Asom Gana Parishad, Babulal Marandi of the Vikas Manch and P.C. Thomas of the Kerala Congress (Mani).

Mr. Singh told The Hindu that Ms. Jayalalithaa explained the position to the UNPA leaders over the phone that there was no direction or instructions from her for her MPs. She and Rajya Sabha member N. Jothi stayed away, he said. 220;All the leaders of the UNPA abstained as had been decided.”

However, contrary to Mr. Singh’s claim, SP MP Atiq Khan was seen on television saying he had exercised his franchise. ‘Rebels’ Raj Babbar, Beni Prasad Verma and Munnawar Hasan Chaudhary voted as did INLD ‘rebel’ Harinder Singh Malik.

According to Mr. Singh, the outcome of the Presidential election would be more worrisome for the National Democratic Alliance, which was deserted by its partners, the Shiv Sena and the Trinamool Congress. “Even their coalition partner in Karnataka, the Janata Dal (Secular), did not go along with them.”

TDP leader K. Yerran Naidu said although the voting by AIADMK MPs came as a “surprise” there were some abstentions within the UPA and the NDA as well. “These are individual votes. It would not threaten the unity of the UNPA.”

NDA-backed candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said their appeal for allowing electors to decide individually “paid off.”

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