A winning battle

The crucial Presidential election results will be declared on July 22. Notwithstanding the fact it is a Sunday, the Congress has decided to keep its AICC headquarters open. Congress-led UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee’s victory being a forgone conclusion with an estimated 70 per cent votes expected to have been in his favour, the party is gearing up to celebrate with sweets. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also likely to be active — only to ascertain the extent of cross-voting. Several BJP MPs and MLAs had not been keen to vote for a losing candidate — its own nominee P Sangma — and are believed to have voted for Mukherjee. While the Congress will be exulting in its victory, the BJP will be desperately scrutinising losses.