UPA predicts 3-lakh margin for Pratibha

The UPA has predicted that its candidate for the presidential polls, Pratibha Patil, is likely to win by around 3 lakh votes over her only rival, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is backed by the NDA.

Giving a break-up of the votes the alliance claimed she would get, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi said while the UPA, the Left parties, the BSP and the Shiv Sena had 6,31,464 votes, the NDA and its allies had just 3,14,411 votes. The Third Front, which commands nearly 51,125 votes, has not taken a stand so far.

"We are likely to improve our tally (votes in favour of Patil) in the next 48 hours,'' Dasmunshi said. He is believed to negotiating with two smaller regional parties and some independents in the north-east for support to Patil.

"Even if the Third Front decides to take sides, it will have a small impact on the margin of Patil's victory,'' the minister said.

In the elections, due on July 18, around 5,000 votes will be polled by MPs and MLAs who are either serving a jail term or have been detained in some case or the other. They would be released on parole for a day, Dasmunshi said.

Interestingly, the Congress is not sure if BSP chief Mayawati is eligible to vote in the presidential polls as she has ceased to be an MP of the Rajya Sabha after becoming a member of the Legislative Council in Uttar Pradesh.

Dasmunshi said she could vote in case her resignation was yet to be ceped by the Rajya Sabha.