Leaders in Bihar Vote for Replacement of Kalam
Patna: July 19, 2007
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Bihar Leaders vote for India's new President
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Photo by Shashi Uttam |
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Leaders in Bihar on Thursday cast their votes for the election of the 13th President of India amidst heavy rain and cross-voting bringing the UPA candidate Pratibha Patil one step closer to the post currently occupied by widely-popular A.P. J. Abdul Kalam.
The event was eclipsed by the arrival of incarcerated Siwan MP and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Mohammed Shahabuddin, who along with Janata Dal (U) legislators Ranvijay Singh, Dhumal Singh, and Sunil Pandey, were permitted to cast their presidential votes after a Supreme Court ruling.
Both UPA and NDA leaders claimed massive cross-voting to bolster support for Patil and NDA candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Senior RJD and Congress leaders including former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Jagadanand, Ramchandra Purbey, and Shyam Rajak personally ensured leaders from their partied did not vote for Shekhawat while NDA leaders including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, both not qualified to vote, refrained from the electoral process altogether.
Crediting complete breakdown in the NDA camp, UPA leaders insisted the victory of Patil was a foregone conclusion. "Patil will become the first ever woman President of India by defeating Shekhawat by a margin of over 2-3 lakh votes," Rabri Devi said cheerfully.
Polling began at 10:00 am amidst very tight security particularly in anticipation of the arrival of convicted criminal and MP Shahabuddin, Sunil Pandey and other leaders currently doing time for various crimes. Legislators and ministers formed a single line at the polling zone in the state Assembly and offered their official ID before being sent to a room where they cast their ballot to their respective candidates.
By noon, voting was almost complete with only a few leaders arriving late to complete the formality. Shahabuddin, who was brought from Siwan Jail in very tight security, was the last one cast his vote. Before him, JD-U's Ranvijay Singh, also doing time in Beur Jail, cast his ballot while Sunil Pandey and Dhumal Singh could not make it on time to exercise their rights.
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