Vaghela's exit may cast a shadow on Ahmed Patel's chances in RS poll

Gujarat Congress stalwart Shankarsinh Vaghela's decision to quit the party may cast a shadow on the prospects of Sonia Gandhi's confidante Ahmed Patel's re-election to the Rajya Sabha.

According to sources in the party, Vaghela has the support of around a dozen MLAs, and if they follow suit, it may put into jeopardy Patel's chances of securing a fourth Rajya Sabha term from his home state.

Patel is Congress president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary.

Congress has 57 MLAs in Gujarat and its candidate would require votes of 47 of them to get elected.

The RS poll comes close on the heels of the presidential election which exposed chinks in the Congress armour as the joint opposition's nominee Meira Kumar could garner votes of only 49 MLAs.

Vaghela, while announcing his decision of quitting the party, said he would resign from the Assembly only after the August 8 RS poll, seen as a veiled warning that he would try to ensure the defeat of the Congress candidate.

Patel's current term ends on August 18. Though the party is yet to announce its candidate for the upcoming elections, it is seen as almost certain that it would be Patel.
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Presidential polls result today: Counting from 11 am, result out by 5 pm

Counting of the votes cast to decide who will be India's new President will begin on Thursday from 11 am. The result will decide the fate of the two contenders — the ruling NDA's candidate Ram Nath Kovind, who has a clear edge, and the combined Opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

The candidate who secures at least one vote more than 50 per cent of the total votes will become India's 14th President and enter the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The final result of the presidential election 2017 is expected to be out by 5 pm today.

Officials said that all preparations have been made for the vote count and that all ballot boxes had already reached Parliament House by Tuesday evening amid tight security.

They said the counting would begin at 11 am simultaneously across four tables. There will be eight rounds of counting and announcements made after every round.

Polling to choose the successor to President Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 24, was held simultaneously at 32 polling stations — one in Parliament House and one each in the 29 state Assemblies and two Union Territories with Assemblies.

Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra is the Returning Officer for the election and will issue the certificate to the winning candidate.

Officials said the seals of the ballot boxes will be opened on Thursday in the presence of representatives of the two candidates - former Bihar Governor Kovind and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar - and the observers of the Election Commission.
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