NDA-backed presidential candidate P.A. Sangma will get only three votes from AP as the Telugu Desam and the TRS have decided to abstain from polling. TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu, after deta-iled discussions with senior party leaders on Tuesday, decided to abstain from voting to maintain equal distances from both the UPA and the NDA. The CPI, meanwhile, had earlier announced its decision to abstain.
Mr Sangma’s efforts to enlist the support of the YSR Congress, which has 17 MLAs and two MPs, went in vain as the party has more or less decided to vote in favour of UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee. A formal statement from YSRC is expected. Mr Sangma, who has been sponsored by the BJP, would only get three votes from the state. Meanwhile, Assistant Returning Officer for the presidential poll Raja Sadaaram said that barring TD’s Khanapur MLA Suman Rathod, all the remaining 293 MLAs were eligible to vote.
Ms Rathod has been barred from voting by the Supreme Court till a petition against her election from the Khanapur segment in 2009 is disposed. Four MPs from the state, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, M. Rajamohan Reddy, K. Narayana Rao and N. Janardhan Reddy have been permitted to exercise their franchise in the Assembly polling station. Mr Raja said if required, special arrangements would be made for both Mr Janardhan Reddy and Musheerabad MLA T. Manemma Anjaiah due to their health problems.