Polling in the presidential election was completed peacefully in Telangana state here on Monday. Out of a total of 119 MLAs, 117 MLAs cast their vote. MIMLP leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, Peddapalli MLA Dasari Manohar Reddy didn’t cast their vote. Akbaruddin was in London and Manohar Reddy was taking treatment in Apollo Hospital due to ill- health.
Polling was started at 10 AM and the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was the first to cast his vote in Telangana Legislative Assembly where the polling was held. Assembly Speaker Madhusudana Chary, followed the Chief Minister, and later leader of opposition K Jana Reddy, Ministers and others cast their votes. The BJLP leader G Kishan Reddy was the last to exercise his franchise. The ballet boxes are to be shifted to New Delhi tomorrow morning.
- The TRS Janagoan MLA Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy got confused with the ballet paper, and the Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao expressed ire at him. Harish Rao asked Muthireddy to give explanation to the Chief Minister and not to him, when Muthireddy tried to give an explanation. The BJP Goshamahal MLA Rajasingh Loth was also confused and asked the election officials as he didn’t know English and Telugu and knew only Hindi. The ballot was published in English and Telugu only.
The TRS, BJP and TDP leadership was confident that all their MLAs cast their vote to NDA presidential candidate Ramnath Kovind. The Congress leadership has said that 18 other MLAs had cast their vote to UPA presidential candidate Meira Kumar along with the Congress, CPM and MIM MLAs. (NSS)