National

Conscience vote misapplied: Singhvi

New Delhi:

New Delhi: The United Progressive Alliance on Sunday dismissed as “misapplied and inapposite” NDA’s plans to seek a conscience vote in favour of Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the presidential election as had happened in 1969. “The phrase conscience vote is misapplied and inapposite. 1969 was a case when the ruling party was itself divided and conscience vote was sought because of the division,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told PTI.

He said the UPA was completely united and all constituents had signed the nomination papers for Pratibha Patil. Asked about the NDA’s claims that cross-voting would ensure victory of Mr. Shekhawat, who would be filing his nomination on Monday on the 32nd anniversary of the imposition of Emergency, he said the arithmetic would not change because of vague symbolism or rhetoric.

On the allegation that Ms. Patil was shielding a murder accused, he said the NDA and the Third Front were fishing in troubled waters and trying to create confusion. He alleged that this was being done by organising a press conference at a former NDA Cabinet Minister’s residence by Sudheendra Kulkarni, who was in the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s kitchen cabinet.

Mr. Singhvi said G. N. Patil, brother of Pratibha Patil, was not even an accused in the murder case and there was absolutely no allegation against Ms. Patil in the entire case. — PTI

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