New Delhi, July 13
Even as the eight-party United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) or the so-called Third Front meets here tomorrow to decide its strategy for the July 19 Presidential poll, supporters of Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat believe that abstaining would be wrong and might invite action against political parties. Shekhawat is contesting as an independent backed by the NDA.

Though the Vice President’s camp is acutely aware that they are fighting a lost battle for all practical intents and purposes, they are trying to impress upon the UNPA not to abstain from voting in the Presidential poll.

It is certain that with the UNPA not in favour of supporting either the UPA-Left candidate in Pratibha Devisingh Patil or Shekhawat being backed by the NDA, they are left with no option but to abstain.

It has been learnt that the leaders of the UNPA are meeting informally tonight to work out the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting at the residence of INLD leader and former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala. AIADMK’s J Jayalalithaa and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrived in the capital this evening.

During the informal discussions in the evening, the UNPA leaders are also expected to discuss either fielding a nominee of their own for the office of Vice President or extending support to a candidate fielded by the Left. Those scheduled to be present are Jayalalithaa, Chautala, Naidu and Samajwadi party’s Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh.

Meanwhile, Shekhawat’s campaign managers are seeking to clear the air about the Presidential poll. Clearly, the Vice President’s camp is keen that the UNPA not abstain but that its members in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and the state legislatures exercise their franchise according to their free will and choice. Abstention goes against the grain and spirit of the Presidential poll. In quoting several points of view, they said former

CEC G V G Krishnamurthy had made it clear recently that any advice to “abstain from voting in the Presidential poll could violate provisions of the election law and invite action against parties. Even a direction to the voters not to exercise their preference for other than one candidate could amount to undue influence.”

Pointed attention was drawn to the observation of constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap that: “It is the privilege of individual members of the Electoral College to elect the President. In electing the President, no directive or whip could be legitimate and valid.” Noted jurist Ram Jethmalani has said the Constitution requires secret ballot for the Presidential poll. This ensures perfect freedom of choice, a choice that nobody can investigate or question. Thus, the members of the Electoral College have the freedom to vote as per their own conscience.

The Vice President’s supporters said cross voting is a misnomer because everyone is supposed to vote freely as per their best judgment and conscience. The letter and the spirit of the Constitution ordains the members of the Electoral College to exercise their right to freedom to vote in the Presidential election.