Presidential Election 2022: CLP leader Debabrata Saikia blames CM Sarma for large-scale cross-voting

As many as 22 opposition MLAs from Assam have cross-voted in support of Droupadi Murmu

Time8 Webdesk
July 22, 2022
9:47 pm

Guwahati: Congress legislature party leader Debabrata Saikia on Friday blamed chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the decaying of the democracy and for the large-scale cross-voting of MLAs in the last presidential election.

This comes after the opposition camp has suffered a major setback in the presidential election due to cross-voting.

According to reports, 17 MPs have cross-voted in support of Murmu. At the same time, 113 MLAs also did cross-voting.

Interestingly, Assam tops the list where as many as 22 opposition MLAs have cross-voted in support of Murmu.

In a video, Leader of Opposition, and Congress leader Debabrata Saikia said, “It is very unfortunate that despite the possibility of getting 37 votes, the opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in the presidential election in Assam got only 20 votes whereas, Congress had 24 members, so it is apprehended that at least four of our colleagues did not vote, and it may be more if the Opposition parties claim that their members have voted for the opposition candidate. It may be 5,6,7, I don’t know the number, anyway, it was a secret ballot.”

“BJP is responsible for such kind of dirty politics”: Debabrata Saikia

Terming the cross-voting as unfortunate, Saikia alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is responsible for such kind of dirty politics where there is no ethics and no transparency in the politics.

Meanwhile, dragging Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s name into it, Saikia added, “Our chief minister is often quoted as saying that the opposition MLAs don’t have any power, they cannot give an even a role sanction, it is the government who sanctions the role, thus, the opposition MLAs don’t have any work except sitting with the speaker. And when such things happen, then I think some opposition MLAs due to lack of development in their constituencies have fallen into the trap of the chief minister. Our chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is solely responsible for decaying the democracy and for the large-scale cross-voting of MLAs in the last presidential election. We condemn the policy of the BJP to destroy opposition unity.”

Earlier, CM Sarma took to Twitter saying, “Droupadi Murmu polled 104 votes compared to NDA’s original strength of 79 in the 126 member Assam Assembly. 2 absent. My heartfelt gratitude to the people of Assam for reposing their faith in the NDA’s Presidential candidate & wholeheartedly joining this historic moment.”