Presidential elections 2017: Of pens, gaffes and shades of red
As politicos rushed, staggered and swaggered their way to different venues to cast their vote, unintentional gaffes let in a little light (humour) amid all the grey.
As politicos rushed, staggered and swaggered their way to different venues to cast their vote in what has been an intense Presidential campaign, unintentional gaffes let in a little light (humour) amid all the grey.
Jailed NCP MLA Chhagan Bhujbal made a unique entry to the Vidhan Sabha in an ambulance to cast his vote along with NCP MLA Ramesh Kadam, also jailed. The two had sought permission from various courts before being allowed to vote.
In Punjab, AAP member H S Phoolka went solo in not exercising his vote from the 117-member House for Meira Kumar. Reason? He is fighting the 1984 Sikh riots cases.
Meanwhile, in a bid to avoid further drama, the Election Commission provided special-designer markers for those exercising their votes, and showing their personal pens the door.
However, the flutter of activity seemed to have caught up to Punjab FinMin Parminder Singh Dhindsa, whose ‘slip of pen’ left marks on his ballot paper. EC officials refused to give him a clean sheet after requests.
Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu turned a shade red on Monday after he was “pulled” by a security member while strolling by the polling hall. The CM, who is not an Assembly member and thus can’t vote, in his defense said he was there to oversee security arrangements and logistics.
Meanwhile, Assam cruised through the finish line well in advance; completing the poll process three hours ahead of time.
In Tamil Nadu, nonagenarian DMK chief M Karunanidhi was kept away from voting after being advised by his doctor and owing to ill health.
On the other hand, sources said lone Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) MP from Dharmapuri Anbumani Ramadoss abstained from voting in the polls. The PMK had asked the Centre to set up a Cauvery Management Board in exchange for Ramadoss’ vote to NDA candidate Ramnath Kovind.
Did you know that the value for an MLAs vote is seven in Sikkim, eight in Mizoram and 208 in Uttar Pradesh. Probably not.
Meanwhile, SP MLA and member of UP’s affluent ‘Pariwar’ Shivpal Yadav voted for NDA candidate Ramnath Kovind.
Similarly, while West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that Opposition candidate Meira Kumar would win by a huge margin with a majority of TMC votes, six sacked TMC MLA’s voted for NDA nominee Ramnath Kovind.
Andhra Pradesh probably topped the list of poll gaffes after two TDP legislators reportedly wrote their own names on the ballot paper, which will most likely be termed as invalid.
