The NDA in the leadership of the ruling BJP met on Sunday to fine tune its strategy ahead of Monday’s presidential election. All the BJP and AJSU legislators along with Independents, Geeta Koda and Bhanu Pratap Sahi assembled at the official residence of Chief Minister Raghubar Das.
BJP’s national general secretary Ram Madhav was also present in the meeting where a kind of ‘mock drill’ was arranged for the MlAs, most of them being first timers.
“Since many of us are new to the presidential election process, the ‘mock drill’ was quite useful before voting. It was ensured that none of us commit any mistake during the polling which would make our votes invalid,” said BJP’s Gumla legislator Shiv Shankar Oraon.
The meeting, at the same time, made it clear that the NDA’s nominee for the top post Ram Nath Kovind is sure to get votes of at least 49 MlAs out of total 81 figuring in the electoral college made for legislative Assembly of Jharkhand.
“Jai Bharat Samanta Party’s Geeta Koda and Nav Jawan Sangharsh Morcha’s Bhanu Pratap Shahi were present and extended their support. Adding four from our ally AJSU in the BJP’ tally of 43, we are sure about 49 votes. Some more MlAs may lend their support by voting listening to their ‘inner voice,” said party’s chief whip Radha Krishna Kishore.
Besides 49 members in its favaour, the ruling BJP in the State is also expecting votes from Jharkhand Party’s Anosh Ekka and BSP’s Kushwaha Shivpujan Mehta who had on earlier occasions voted in its favour.
“CP Singh and Anat Ojha have been made polling agents. All the supporters of the NDA have been told to converge at the Chief Minister old residence at HEC campus on Monday morning from where all of us together would proceed for voting. All of us would cast our votes in the first half itself,” said Oraon. The NDA is also sure to get support of 15 MPs out of 20 in the State.
The Opposition, on the other hand, in the leadership of the Congress went into huddle with JMM in the evening. “We are less in number but have appealed to all those having belief in social justice to vote for Meira Kumar who has greater degree of experience as lok Sabha Speaker, history of freedom struggle besides being a Dalit. People should vote hearing to their inner conscience,” said Pradesh Congress Committee president Sukhdeo Bhagat.
The Congress-led UPA is into the contest banking primarily upon 19 members of the JMM, seven of its own and two of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha apart from five MPs from both the Houses. “Our observer Bhakt Charan Das is already in Ranchi. We are sure to get few more votes other than JMM, Congress, JVM and the left parties,” said JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya.