'Clear Cong is cross-voting': Assam MLA amid reports from Haryana, Odisha

It is 'clear that the Congress is cross-voting' in the presidential election, an Assam MLA told news agency ANI Monday morning, as lawmakers across India vote between Droupadi Murmu (the BJP-led NDA pick) and Yashwant Sinha (the opposition candidate). "There was a Congress meeting... attended by only two-three MLAs. Only district president was there. What was the need for a meeting in the Assembly? Clear that Congress is cross-voting... it may be 20+. You can see on results day," AIUDF MLA Karimuddin Barbhuiya said.

Barbhuiya's comment adds to expectations Murmu will emerge a clear winner.

In addition to the sizeable (more than needed to win the election) votes she will get from Bharatiya Janata Party MPs and MLAs, Murmu can also count on votes from the Biju Janata Dal, the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Janata Dal (United) and (Secular), the AIADMK and smaller parties of the National Democratic Alliance.

LIVE UPDATES: Droupadi Murmu v Yashwant Sinha in 2022 presidential election

A Congress MLA from Odisha, Murmu's home state, has confirmed he has cross-voted and chosen the former Jharkhand governor. Mohammad Moquim declared to ANI: "I have voted for the daughter of the soil."

"I am a Congress MLA… but I voted for NDA's candidate Droupadi Murmu. It is my personal decision as I've listened to my heart which guided me to do something for the soil and that's why voted for her," he explained.

Another Congress MLA acknowledged he too had voted for Murmu. Haryana Congress' Kuldeep Bishnoi said he had listened to his conscience.

There have also been reports of cross-voting from Gujarat - where Nationalist Congress Party MLA Kandhal S Jadeja told ANI he had voted for Murmu.

Sharad Pawar's NCP had, officially, at least, declared for Yashwant Sinha and was part of the opposition front that nominated him.

READ | BJP eyes 200 votes from Maharashtra as voting begins in Mumbai

There were also rumours from Madhya Pradesh - that Congress MLAs had again defied party orders to vote for Droupadi Murmu. These, though, were denied by MLA Heeralal Alawa, who insisted all would be revealed once votes are counted.

However, reports of cross-voting haven't been just in Droupadi Murmu's favour; at least nine BJP leaders in Bengal have voted for Yashwant Sinha, if senior members of the ruling Trinamool are to be believed.

Party sources said the nine consisted of 7 MLAs and 2 MPs.

Voting to elect a successor to president Ram Nath Kovind began 10 am Monday, with prime minister Narendra Modi casting his vote. Since then several chief ministers - including those from Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi - have also cast votes, as have MLAs and MPs.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Stalin did so after recovering from Covid-19 last week, while a determined former prime minister Manmohan Singh - who is ill - arrived in a wheelchair to exercise his franchise.

With input from ANI