Odisha legislators cast vote in Presidential poll

The legislators of Odisha on Monday cast their votes to elect the 14th President in a contest between ruling NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and opposition-backed Meira Kumar.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, other ministers, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra and Rajya Sabha member (Independent) A.V. Swamy exercised their franchise at the state assembly here.

Narasingha Mishra was the first to cast his vote followed by Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Chiranjib Biswal, Congress legislators Devendra Sharma and Naba Kishore Das. Congress members have voted for Meira Kumar, said Mishra.

Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout said he voted for Kovind as the regional party has extended its support to the NDA candidate.

The Chief Minister tweeted: "Just voted in #PresidentialElection; wish the next President all the best in @RashtrapatiBhvn."

While the BJD has 117 members in the state assembly, the Congress has 16 and the Bharatiya Janata Party 10.

The voting ends at 5 p.m. and the ballot boxes will be taken by the observers to New Delhi by flight where the votes will be counted on July 20.

The winner will succeed the incumbent President Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 25.

--IANS

cd/him/vt