NDA expects 105-108 votes from Assam. Did Congress and AIUDF MLAs vote for Murmu?

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu has received 105-108 votes in Assam, top sources disclosed to India Today NE. In all, 124 votes were cast today by MLAs in Assam to elect the 15th Indian president. Two members were absent as they are on a pilgrimage to Mecca.

This number is more than the NDA tally of 85 and speculation is rife that several Opposition MLAs cross-voted during the polls. The two main Opposition parties—the All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the Congress—had earlier professed support for the UPA candidate Yashwant Sinha. “In the presidential election, we will vote for Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha. Our stand on this is very clear. We will continue to remain anti-BJP,” AIUDF General Secretary Aminul Islam told India Today NE on July 17, the eve of the election.

The next day, after the voting was over, AIUDF MLA Karimuddin Barbhuiya claimed that his AIUDF party colleagues had voted for the BJP. India Today NE tried to reach out to the legislator, but he was unavailable for comment. BJP sources claimed that out of 13 AIUDF MLAs, 9-11 had voted for Murmu.  However, Aminul Islam, talking to India Today NE over the phone, rubbished these claims and asserted that all 11 AIUDF MLAs (two are in Mecca) had voted for Sinha.

Earlier, a day before the polls, nearly half a dozen BJP MLAs visited homes of senior AIUDF leaders, including that of chief Badruddin Ajmal, requesting them to vote for Murmu.

Speculation is rife that 20 Congress MLAs also voted for Murmu. Senior Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia said that he was “unaware” of any such developments. “I think every Congress legislator has voted for Sinha as per our party’s stand,” he told India Today NE.

There is also a claim that Raijor Dal (RD) president and Sivasagar legislator Akhil Gogoi has also voted in favour of Murmu. Gogoi is a severe critic of the BJP and particularly the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government. He could not be reached for comment.

The counting of votes will be held on July 21 and the new President will take oath on July 25, under the schedule announced by the Election Commission. All NDA constituents—BJP (63 MLAs), AGP (12 MLAs), UPPL (7 MLAs), and BPF (3 MLAs)—are expected to vote for Murmu.