Presidential polls: AAP throws its lot with Yashwant Sinha
New Delhi: The AAP will support joint opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in the presidential poll despite its respect for Droupadi Murmu, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said after a political advisory committee (PAC) meeting of the party on Saturday.
Sinha is in the fray for the top constitutional post of the country with Droupadi Murmu, the candidate chosen by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
“We respect Droupadi Murmu but the AAP will support opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha,” Singh said.
The decision was taken in the PAC meeting chaired by AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, ministers Gopal Rai and Imran Hussain, MP Singh, Punjab MP Raghav Chadha, MLA Atishi, and other members of the PAC were present in the meeting.
Voting for the presidential poll will take place on Monday.
The AAP is the only non-BJP, non-Congress outfit that has governments in two states — Delhi and Punjab.
It has 10 Rajya Sabha MPs from the two states, including three from Delhi.
Also, the party has a total 156 MLAs including 92 in Punjab, 62 in Delhi and two in Goa.
“The PAC unanimously decided that the AAP will support Yashwant Sinha. All AAP MLAs and MPs will vote for Sinha on July 18,” Singh said.
The AAP acknowledges and respects NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu’s candidature in the presidential elections but the PAC has deemed it fit to support the opposition candidate, he said.
In 10.86 lakh-strong electoral college, the AAP has votes with a total value of 21,308. The party has 10 MPs with a vote value of 7,000, 92 MLAs in Punjab with a vote value of 10,672, 62 MLAs in Delhi with a vote value of 3,596 and two MLAs in Goa with a vote value of 40.
