Arunachal Pradesh MLAs cast vote in prez poll

The legislators of Arunachal Pradesh Assembly today cast their votes to elect the next president of the country.
Of the total 59 members in a house of 60, 58 exercised their franchise. Health and Family Welfare minister Jomde Kena did not cast his vote here as he was in Delhi.
Assembly secretary M Lasa said, Kena voted in Delhi.
One seat in the Assembly was vacant after former deputy chief minister and sitting MLA Kameng Dolo from Pakke-Kessang constituency lost membership of the House following a Supreme Court ruling in connection with an election petition filed against him by BJP leader and former minister Atum Welly.

The ruling BJP in the state has 47 MLAs while the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), a constituent member of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), has 9 members who are supporting the NDA presidential candidate.
There are two independents and a lone Congress member in the House.
The two independents are also supporting the NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind.
Kovind is pitted against opposition candidate Meira Kumar in the race to the country's top constitutional post.