Presidential poll: Yogi among the first to vote in UP

Lucknow, Jul 17:  Amid speculation of cross voting by the Samajwadi Party, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was among the first to vote in the Presidential polls at the Assembly premises here today. The polling for the Presidential polls started at 1000 hrs amid unprecedented security by the commandos at the Tilak Hall in the Assembly premises. Security went for a major haul in the Assembly after explosives were recovered inside the Assembly on July 12 with experts terming it 'highly sensitive PETN explosive'. While the security personnel held a mock drill to assess their alertness on the eve of the poll yesterday, the entire Assembly premises have been sealed with security personnel already been deployed at strategic points. Election officials here today said that over 10 per cent of the total 403 Assembly members cast their votes in the first 30 minutes of the polling. The CM, after casting his vote at around 1015 hrs, said that it is an honour that NDA has fielded Ram Nath Kovind, who is slated to become the first President from UP. "I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for selecting Mr Kovind for the post," he told reporters. Yogi is an MP from Gorakhpur and was yet to get membership of any house in the state. Union Water Resources minister Uma Bharati and deputy Chief Minister and UP BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya, both MPs are also slated to vote in Lucknow. Former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, is not eligible to vote as he is the member of the legislative council. However, SP rebel candidate Shivpal Singh Yadav has announced to go against the party's directive to support the opposition candidate. SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, who will vote in New Delhi, is also expected to go with his younger brother to support the NDA candidate. MORE UNI