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[ramana]

One more report from DNA....

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Pratibha leaves V-P behind by miles
Shubhangi Khapre
Monday, June 25, 2007  09:27 IST

Shiv Sena likely to play Marathi card, thus showing that it is closer to NCP than the BJP

<b>The buzz in the Congress is that Pratibha Patil has taken a lead of over 40,000 votes by conservative estimates in the Presidential polls and that Shiv Sena’s (22,000) votes will make no difference to her final tally.</b> Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray would make his party’s stand clear today. On its part, the BJP reckons that the shortage of 40,000-50,000 votes is within its reach, provided they tactically manage cross voting across the party lines in the country.

<b>Sources in the Nationalist Democratic Alliance</b>, mediating for Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in Maharashtra, disclosed that, “Unless there is cross voting across party lines from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra it will be difficult to make up for the 40,000-vote deficit in favour of Shekhwat. If Shiv Sena decides to exercise its 22,000-plus votes in favour of Pratibha, to retain its “Marathi asmita — son of the soil” plank, <b>the votes deficit will shoot up to 60,000 for NDA</b>.”


The presidential college comprised of over ten lakh votes, of which Maharashtra alone accounts for one-tenth votes. <b>If insiders are to be believed then Sena is likely to flash its “son of the soil” card, thus further increasing the vote gap between Patil and Shekhwat by 60,000 votes.</b>
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This report was published before the news of BT supporting UPA candidate. The meaning of this report is the UPA saying that it would have won without BT's support and thus owes no favors to him or his flavor of politics. So Afzal Guru will go scot free whether BT likes it or not if she gets elected.

BT could have said he would support UPA candidate Patil as he is honor bound to support a Marathi individual, but allow his party to vote per their consience.