Bush certified winner in Florida

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, NOV. 27. The Texas Governor, Mr. George W. Bush, who has been certified winner of the U.S. presidential election in Florida, has urged the Vice-President, Mr. Al Gore, to concede the election. ``Now that the votes are counted, it is time for the votes to count,'' he said from Austin, Texas. With the State's 25 electoral college votes, Mr. Bush now has 271 votes against 267 for Mr. Gore.

However, the Democrats are in no mood to accept defeat and have decided to challenge the certification in Florida.

The certification by Florida's Secretary of State, Ms. Katherine Harris, gave the Texas Governor a 537-vote lead over Mr. Gore. An Associated Press tally including the recounted Palm Beach county votes showed Mr. Bush ahead by 357 votes. Ms. Harris rejected the partial returns from the Palm Beach county and dismissed the county's request for more time.

In a nationally televised address, Mr. Bush said he respected Mr. Gore's decision to continue the fight but seemed to say that the time had come to call it quits. ``I did not agree with his call for additional recounts, but I respected his decision to fight until the votes were finally certified. Now that they are certified, we enter a different phase. If the Vice- President chooses to go forward, he is filing a contest to the outcome of the election, and that is not the best route for America.''

The Texas Governor said the transition team headed by his running mate, Mr. Richard Cheney, would be in place from today. The former Transportation Secretary, Mr. Andrew Card, would be his White House Chief of Staff and the announcement of Gen. Colin Powell being the next Secretary of State would be made soon.

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