President Pranab
Landslide win for Mukherjee, garners 69.3 p.c. votes
Heavy cross-voting in Karnataka
Swearing in on July 25
July 23, 2012
NEW DELHI: Pranab Mukherjee was on Sunday elected the President in a
bitterly-contested but one-sided poll, trouncing P A Sangma by a huge margin
to begin a new journey after over four decades of active political innings.
In an election that caused divisions in the Opposition NDA and the Left, the
76-year-old UPA nominee Mukherjee secured a vote value of 7,13,763,
garnering 69.3 per cent of the total 10,29,750 valid votes polled.
Rival P A Sangma, who was backed by BJP and some other Opposition parties
like AIADMK and BJD, trailed far behind with 3,15,987 vote value in the
polling that saw heavy cross-voting against him by BJP MLAs in Karnataka in
favour of Mukherjee.
The run-up to the election was bitter with the Sangma camp accusing
Mukherjee of forgery and raising question of office of profit violations
only to be rejected by the election authorities.
Affectionately called "dada", Mukherjee will be the first leader from West
Bengal to occupy the top Constitutional post. He will be sworn-in as the
13th President on July 25 in the Central Hall of Parliament, taking over
from Pratibha Patil.
A veteran of politics and art of governance, Mukherjee was the
troubleshooter for the UPA in the last eight years and brings a wealth of
experience to the top Constitutional office having held various key
positions in the party and government at the Centre.
"I declare that Shri Pranab Mukherjee has been duly elected to the office of
President of India," Returning Officer and Rajya Sabha Secretary General V K
Agnihotri after more than seven-hours of counting that went on expected
lines.
In brief comments after being elected, Mukherjee pledged to "protect, defend
and preserve" the Constitution. "I will try to justify in a modest way as I
can to be trustworthy".
He said he was overwhelmed by the support he got from people, not limited to
the electoral college comprising MPs and MLAs. "I have received much more
from the country, its political establishment and Parliament than what I
have given".
Greetings poured from all over with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress
President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and senior Ministers making a beeline
to his 13, Talkatora Road residence. Vice President Hamid Ansari called him
to congratulate.
Sangma, a former Lok Sabha Speaker who split from his party NCP to contest
the election, congratulated Mukherjee and wished him success.
However, he alleged that the election was "exceptionally partisan" as the
UPA lured states with "packages, inducements and threats". He did not rule
out moving court on the election. PTI
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