Ahead of Presidential Poll, Yashwant Sinha's Appeal to Electoral College Members

The Opposition's presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha

(Photo: PTI)

In an appeal to the members of the electoral college, who are set to elect a new president on Monday, 18 July, Opposition's presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha, on Sunday, asked members to vote for him regardless of party affiliations.

“This election is not about the identities of the two candidates in the fray but about the ideologies and ideals they represent. My ideology is the Constitution of India.”

The letter also provided an overview of Sinha’s presidential campaign, which begun on 28 June and ended on 16 July, covering 13 state capitals and addressing over 50 press conferences and media interviews.

Claiming that his opponent, the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA's) candidate Droupadi Murmu, would be under control of a leadership which aims to convert a democratic India to “an imitator of Communist China,” Sinha added that “Never before have so many powers been concentrated in New Delhi, and never have states felt so disempowered and demeaned.”

Moving to the Offensive

Launching an attack at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) Murmu, Sinha said:

“My rival candidate represents those forces whose ideology and agenda, let's make no mistake, is to change the Constitution. I stand for safeguarding India's democratic system...My rival candidate belongs to a party that has made no secret of its resolve to destroy this pillar and establish majoritarian supremacy... My rival is backed by a party that practices politics of confrontation and conflict.”

Opposition Presidential Candidate Yashwant Sinha

He further said that he stands for “harmonious Centre-State relations and Cooperative Federalism.” Sinha said that Murmu belongs to an establishment that has launched “multiple assaults on the Federal Structure of the Indian Constitution.”

Claiming that his opponent, the NDA’s Droupadi Murmu, would act as a “silent, pliant and rubber-stamp Rashtrapati,” Sinha appealed to “BJP voters,” and advocated for a “much needed course-correction” within the party.

Mentioning his membership tenure at the BJP, Sinha said, "I too once belonged to your party. However, I regret to say that the party that was once led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani is dead and gone. Under the present sole leader, it's an altogether different – and degraded –party."

"I am sure most of you know the difference and lament it as much as I do. This election is your last chance to introduce much-needed course-correction in the BJP," he added.

He also noted the absence of a whip in the presidential election and the use of the secret ballot method of election.

“The Makers of our Constitution devised the method of the secret ballot to underscore the fact that members of the Electoral College should have the freedom to heed the call of their conscience, and should not be bound by the decision of their respective parties."

AIUDF to Support Sinha in Prez Election 

The All India United Democratic Front on Sunday announced that it will vote for Yashwant Sinha, the joint opposition nominee, in the presidential election.

AIUDF legislator Aminul Islam, however, said his party will support the Opposition candidate in the July 18 presidential poll even though they were “sidelined” during Sinha’s recent visit to Assam.

He said the AIUDF’s name was not mentioned in the invitation card that was sent to political leaders for a meeting with Sinha.

“Our legislators were not invited to the programme organised at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra for the opposition nominee in the presidential poll,” he said.

Sinha visited Assam on 13 July to seek support from the opposition MPs and MLAs from the state for the election.

The Congress and the AIUDF had fought the 2021 state polls as part of a ‘grand alliance’ of opposition parties, but had parted ways later.

The AIUDF has 15 legislators in the Assam Assembly and one MP from the state.