89 MLAs cast vote till 1400 hrs in Chhattisgarh Assembly

Raipur, July 17 :  Barring expelled Congress legislator Amit Jogi, all 90 members of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly -- including Chief Minister Raman Singh -- exercised their franchise till 1400 hrs to elect the country's 14th President. Mr Jogi, son of former Chief Minister and Chhattisgarh Janata Congress founder Ajit Jogi, is expected to cast his vote in the Chhattisgarh House this afternoon after his return from Bilaspur. Voting commenced at 1000 hours in the Assembly Committee Room No 2 amid tight security bandobast. Earlier in the day, independent legislator Vimal Chopra was prevented from exercising his franchise by the polling officials for wearing a black badge on his kurta in support of the farmers' cause. However, he cast his vote after he covered his body with a jacket. In the 90-member House, the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party has 49 MLAs followed by princiipal opposition Congress 39, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one and one independent candidate, who has announced his support to NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind. The BJP is hopeful of getting more votes than its actual strength because of the prospect of cross voting in faction ridden Congress party. UNI