Talk of cross-voting in the presidential election has begun in the political circles following the divisions in the three Fronts, the Congress-led UPA, the BJP-led NDA and the Left .
While the Congress strategists are keeping Trinamul Congress boss Mamata Banerjee in good humour, the BJP has virtually marginalised in the NDA. And the division in the Left Front will not affect the prospects of Mr Pranab Mukherjee for the simple reason that it will not help the BJP backed candidate Mr P.A. Sangma.
“President is elected through a secret ballot voting. Moreover, presidential candidates do not fight election on the party symbols. Therefore, it has always been conscience vote,” a section of MPs viewed predicting that the votes of the BJP, the BJD, the SAD and other parties could split.
Drawing attention to how votes of political parties had split in the earlier presidentiatl and vice-presidential elections, they said late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat got more votes than the NDA had in the vice-presidential election. At that time, Thakurs had voted for him cutting acrss the party line.
Mr Sangma is playing the tribal card with a calculation that tribals would vote for him beyond the party lines.
The UPA stands to gain in this election as it has received support from the Samajwadi Party, the BSP, the Janata Dal(U), the CPI(M), the Shiv Sena, the RJD, the Janata Dal(S), the Forward Bloc.
But the TDP, the TRS and Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Congress have yet to make its stand clear on backing whom.
The Mamata Banerjee-led party have earlier opposed to the name of Mr Mukherjee. But it has been maintaining silence after the UPA announced Mr Mukherjee’s candidature and other parties are coming in support of him.
The Trinamul Congress would find it difficult to remain abstain in this election and thus follow the line of the CPI and the RSP.
This will not only go down well in West Bengal but put a question mark on the Trinamul’s continuance in the UPA. On the other hand, Mr Sangma cannot be its natural choice for the obvious reasons.
Ms Banarjee would find it difficult to keep its MPs and legislators together if she `imposes’ a decision because of the Bengali asmita.
The BJP is going to be a loser in this election after 'barrowing’ Mr Sangma,who is the orignal candidate of the BJD-AIADMK combine. This has split the NDA with the Janata Dal (U) and the Shiv Sena coming out openly against the decision.
Now, the BJP insiders are unsure whether the party MPs would vote for Mr Sangma. This is because a section of the BJP is in favour of Mr Mukherjee who has been managing the floor in parliament since 2004.