Many TMC MLAs, MPs voted for NDA's candidate Murmu, says Bengal BJP unit

Leader of opposition in West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Friday claimed that several TMC MLAs and MPs voted in favour of President-elect Droupadi Murmu.

Of the 291 MLAs who voted, 216 were cast in favour of opposition presidential nominee Yashwant Sinha, while 71 votes were cast in favour of Murmu. Four votes were declared invalid.

"As promised by me all 70 @BJP4Bengal (BJP) MLAs voted in favour of Smt. Draupadi Murmu ji. While 1 @AITCofficial (TMC) MLA cross voted in favour of the President Elect, 4 TMC MLAs ensured that their votes were regarded invalid. 71 votes were polled in favour of Smt. Murmu ji in WB Assembly (sic)," Adhikari tweeted.

"Out of the 34 @AITCofficial MPs (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha combined) who cast their votes at the WB Assembly, at least 4 cross voted in favour of Smt. Draupadi Murmu ji. 2 got counted in her favour and other 2 were regarded invalid. Saffron greetings to those 4 TMC MPs," he added.

The BJP had kept its MLAs at a luxury hotel in New Town near Kolkata ahead of the presidential election on July 18 to prevent any cross-voting.

Former BJP state president Rahul Sinha said there was ample proof that several TMC MLAs and MPs voted in favour of Murmu.

"Many TMC MLAs and MPs are not happy with the functioning of the party's top leadership. This cross-voting is the manifestation of their disgruntlement," Sinha said.

Hitting back at the BJP, TMC claimed that there was no possibility of any cross-voting by its lawmakers.

"No such cross-voting took place by TMC lawmakers. There are no 'Mirzafars' (traitors) in our party anymore. TMC is a disciplined party, there is not a single possibility of anyone of our party supporting the candidate propped up by a communal party like BJP," state minister Firhad Hakim said.

In the 294-member House, 291 votes were cast in the presidential election. TMC MLA Rafikul Islam Mondal did not vote as he was travelling for Haj, ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui abstained from voting and one seat is vacant due to the death of TMC MLA Sadhan Pandey.