The counting for the presidential election will start and the name of the next occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhawan would be known by 5.00 pm.

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A total of 4896 voters — 4120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs — are eligible to cast their ballot.

The electoral college which elects the President through the system of proportional representation, comprises MPs and members of state legislative assemblies.

The counting of votes will take place on 20 July in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought from various state capitals.

Election for the next President of India will be held today where NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind is pitted against opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

Five MLAs will cast their ballot in Parliament House and four other legislators will vote in state assemblies which they have not been elected to. Usually, MPs vote in Parliament House and MLAs in their respective state assemblies.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Goa counterpart Manohar Parrikar are among 55 MPs who will vote in their state assemblies instead of Parliament House for the presidential election.

55 MPs to vote in their state assemblies for prez poll: EC

This will be the second time India will elect a Dalit President since 1997. KR Narayan was the first, and so far the only person from the Dalit community to hold India's highest constitutional post.

Second time since independence, when India will elect a Dalit president

The electoral college for the election consists of 790 MPs of the two chambers of Parliament.

The ruling bloc enjoys an overwhelming majority in the electoral college and BJP has expressed confidence about garnering anywhere between 500 and 550 votes.

The BJP parliamentary board would meet today to pick the ruling NDA's vice presidential candiadate as 18 July is the last date for filing of nominations.

All arrangements have been completed for the presidential election, and polling will take place in Parliament House and respective state assemblies between 10 am and 5 pm. Elected members of both houses of Parliament and assemblies in states, including the National Capital Region of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry, are eligible to vote.

Opposition parties are expected to raise the military stand-off with China, though in a restrained manner, the law and order situation in Kashmir in the wake of the recent terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims and incidents of lynching over beef controversy and suicide of farmers in some states.

The day also marks the beginning of the Monsoon Session which is expected to be stormy with the Opposition parties all set to corner the government over a range of issues concerning national security, foreign policy and other domestic matters while the ruling alliance is gearing up to counter the onslaught on it.

Mishra had allegedly filed wrong accounts of election expenditure relating to articles and advertorials in the media in the 2008-2013 Assembly elections.

The Election Commission of India has barred Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra from casting his vote in the presidential elections since the poll panel had disqualified him for three years over paid news charges.

A special court in Mumbai has allowed senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal's application seeking permission to vote in the 17 July presidential election. Bhujbal has been in judicial custody since his arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) last year.

Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot round up their members and make sure they vote for a particular candidate.

Cross-voting can't be ruled out even as parties claim to have taken up a battle of 'ideologies'. The presidential elections have split open rifts in political parties, with parties fearing that dissidents may indulge in cross-voting. For instance, the Samajwadi Party appears divided with camps led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and party chief Akhilesh Yadav all set to vote for rival candidates, triggering possibility of cross-voting. Mulayam has expressed his support for Kovind while the Akhilesh camp is backing Meira Kumar.

Narendra Modi, speaking to the press outside Parliament, said that he hoped that the Monsoon Session will be filled with new vigour and a spirit to promote national interest. He said that the Monsoon Session is important on many counts as not only will the nation choose it's 14th president, but the 75th anniversary of August Kranti.

The Election Commission has barred legislators from carrying their own pens and a special serial numbered pen with violet ink will be used for voting. Following the ink controversy in the Rajya Sabha polls in Haryana in 2016, the poll panel has decided to use special pens for the electors to mark their votes in the presidential and vice-presidential polls.

Five MLAs will cast their ballot in Parliament House and four other legislators will vote in state assemblies which they have not been elected to. Usually, MPs vote in Parliament House and MLAs in their respective state assemblies.

Yogi Adityanath has reached the state Assembly to cast his vote for presidential elections 2017. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister is one of few MPs to cast vote from state Assembly. In all, 55 MPs will vote from state Assemblies.

Ram Nath Kovind, who belongs to the BJP, has the backing of all the party's allies besides several regional parties. Here is a list of non-NDA parties supporting the BJP' presidential nominee.

The only time a truly apolitical figure gets elected is when a party chooses under coalition compulsions, for instance NDA's move to elect the hugely respected Abdul Kalam.

The post of the president is ostensibly apolitical but every party treats it as a ploy to send signals to its political base and BJP, Congress have stayed true to the script. It is amusing that the Congress president is seeking to take the moral high ground and talking of "conscience vote" because it is her party that sent someone like Pratibha Patil to Raisina Hills.

Sonia Gandhi's contention that the presidential poll is a "clash of ideas" and a "conflict of values" rings hollow. It is quite clear that Congress is trying to make a virtue out of political helplessness, short as they are of crucial numbers in the polling game.

"I hope all political parties, MPs will work for national interest and will engage in high standard of debate and provide value addition," Modi said.

The prime minister hoped that the successful "rains" of GST will fill the Monsoon session with pleasant smell like that emanating from dry soil after showers.

While a stormy Monsoon Session is expected as the Opposition is prepared to target Centre over key issues like farmer suicides and cow vigilantism, Narendra Modi expressed hope of a fruitful Parliament session.

Even as the BJP managed to gain support of as many as 40 parties, including several who arenot NDA allies, for Ram Nath Kovind, Kerala will remain a glaring exception. Kovind is likely to get only one vote — that of BJP MLA O Rajagopal, the lone elected BJP MLA in the state. Both the LDF and UDF are supporting Meira Kumar.

Officials said that polling in Parliament House will take place in Room Number 62 and MPs will vote according to tables allocated to states they represent.

While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, the two nominated members in the Lower House from the Anglo-Indian community cannot. Twelve nominated members in Rajya Sabha are also ineligible. The total value of votes of the electoral college is 10,98,903. The value of vote of an MP is 708 while that of an MLA varies from state to state depending on the size of its population.

A total of 4,896 voters — 4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs — are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the Electoral College.

Senior leaders and Mulayam loyalists are expected to follow suit. Although the small dissidence will have no effect on the overall result of the presidential polls, but it is interesting to note here that Uttar Pradesh MLAs enjoy the maximum weightage in electoral collage. The value of vote of an MP is 708 while that of an MLA varies from state to state depending on the size of its population.

Amid talks of cross-voting from the Opposition camps, the rift in Samajwadi Party is not helping Meira Kumar's cause. SP patrons Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav have declared that they will support Kovind, while Akhilesh Yadav is with Congress' Meira Kumar.

Mulayam, Shivpal to break ranks with Akhilesh, decide to throw weight behind Kovind

He also said that the party led by Akhilesh Yadav did not consult him or Mulayam over presidential elections.

The rift in Samajwadi Party was out in the open once again as Mulayam camp declared allegiance to Ram Nath Kovind. Shivpal Yadav, speaking to CNN-News18, said that Kovind hails from Uttar Pradesh and is a secular figure. He also said that the presidential polls should ideally be conducted wih unanimity.

Kovind is our neighbour hailing from Kanpur; Akhilesh didn't consult us over prez poll: Shivpal Yadav

Opposition presidential nominee Meira Kumar will recieve overwhelming support from West Bengal where 288 MLAs of the 299 are supporting Kumar. All legislators, barring three from the BJP and three from Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, an NDA ally, will vote for Kumar.

Sonia, on Sunday, called for a "conscience vote" while attacking the Narendra Modi government for trying to impose "narrow-minded, divisive and communal vision" on the country.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi cast their votes for the Presidential election on Monday.

"It is my firm belief that the Monsoon session will provide an opportunity to all political parties and MPs to enter into high standard of debate and to provide value addition for taking major decisions in larger national interest," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoped the "growing stronger together" spirit of the GST will bring enthusiasm to Parliament proceedings and that political parties will engage in high standard of debate and provide value addition during the Monsoon session.

There are 288 MLAs in Maharashtra who are eligible to vote in the election. Besides, there are 48 Lok Sabha MPs and 19 Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra.

Jailed NCP MLAs Chhagan Bhujbal and Ramesh Kadam are also expected to cast their votes in the presidential election, a Vidhan Bhawan official said.

The voting for the presidential election started at the Vidhan Bhawan in south Mumbai on Mondya morning with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is an MLA from Nagpur, among the early voters.

Poll debate a sad reflection of the immaturity of Indian democracy It says little about the maturity of our democracy when the ongoing debate around presidential polls is around the caste identity of the contesting candidates, not their achievements. Ramnath Kovind distinguished himself as a lawyer and has a long career as an administrator and a Parliamentarian. Ex-speaker of Lok Sabha Meira Kumar, daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram, has a similar stellar career to boast of. But all the commentaries and debates so far have focused on which candidate is more "Dalit" than the other. The prime minister, yesterday and today, struck a note of harmony and conciliation but he would know that Kovind's selection had as much to do with BJP's need to woo Dalit community. Congress looked outmanouvred in choosing another Dalit candidate to forge opposition unity and then later tried to spin it as a battle of principles. The sad truth is, politics of identity trumps every other parameters during polls in India. Presidential polls are no exception.

In the Lok Sabha, the BJP has 10 MPs from Chhattisgarh while the Congress has one.

Marwahi MLA Amit Jogi, expelled from the Congress, had said he would support Meira Kumar. The Congress has also suspended Gunderdehi MLA Rajendra Kumar Rai.

In the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly, BJP has 49 MLAs whereas the Congress has 39. One MLA is from the BSP while another is independent legislator.

Voting for the presidential election began at the Chhattisgarh Assembly complex in Raipur on Monday morning.

"Because all MPs don't necessarily vote only according to conscience, they also vote according to party lines and party lines are divided somewhat on ideology, principles and political positioning. So, I don't read too much into any other statement, except the fact that this is a clear case of the NDA scoring big in terms of the numbers," he added.

There is no rocket science involved in predicting that the ruling NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind would win the presidential poll, senior NCP leader Praful said on Monday.

The BJP has 47 legislators in the 90-member assembly.

In the Haryana Assembly, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators Kamal Gupta and Latika Sharma were among the first voters.

Punjab has a Congress government since March. The party has 77 legislators in the 117-member assembly.

The Congress legislators later gathered at the Punjab Bhawan here for a meeting on the issue.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had called all Congress legislators in the state for breakfast before the voting.

Voting began in the Punjab and Haryana assemblies here on Monday morning to elect the country's 14th President.

Voting for presidential elections will end at 5pm today. After the polling ends, the ballot boxes from the states would be flown to Delhi and stored in Parliament. The votes would be counted and results would be announced on 20 July, and the new President will assume office on 25 July.

Polling to end at 5 pm but what's next?

Though the outcome of Presidential poll is forgone conclusion but BJP leadership is not taking it easy. It is keen to send out a message that Opposition is disunited and PM Modi's candidate has support from across the party lines.

The BJP under Narendra Modi-Amit Shah dispensation has acquired a tendency to punch above its weight. In last year's Rajya Sabha elections, the BJP fetched some extra seats than its strength in state Assemblies because it managed to get additional votes from other parties and Independents. After recent round of assembly elections even as the BJP did not have required numbers to form its government in Goa and Manipur, it outmanoeuvred Congress and formed government in these two states.

Ram Nath Kovind is sure to win Presidential election but what is of real interest is his victory margin over Opposition candidate Meira Kumar. The ruling NDA was slightly short of 50 percent of value of votes in the electoral college but now, with the support of several non-NDA parties, its candidate appears all set to get around 65 percent votes. BJP leaders believe that it could reach 70 percent mark or even more.

Ram Nath Kovind's win will be BJP's counter to claims of Opposition unity

Sonia Gandhi and Meira Kumar's appeal to MPs and MLAs to vote as per their conscience — and not vote as per their party's official line — may eventually boomerang on them. Kumar has again and again urged legislators to caste their vote according to their conscience in a battle of ideologies. However, in this election, political parties can't issue whip and the voting is secretive. Mark Tejashwi Yadav's words as he expressed his anguish over cross-voting. Although he linked this with ruling NDA's insecurity in the polls but it was not difficult to make an easy reading of voting pattern.

While the TMC in West Bengal is backing UPA's Meira Kumar, the Tripura branch of the TMC has come out in the support of NDA's nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

While Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party has come out in support of Meira Kumar, there is a threat of 10-12 MLAs voting for Ram Nath Kovind. However Kejriwal told the Delhi Assembly, "We are supporting Meira Kumar (Opposition presidential candidate). All should vote following their conscience."

In the Monsoon Session this year, there are 79 bills which are to be passed in both the Houses of Parliament. With Kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Modi government may look for the speedy passage of the bills.

While Kovind's Dalit background may have been a reason for his elevation, the former Bihar Governor can also help the NDA to get his assent on key bills, especially through the ordinances route.

Former Haryana Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress Legislature Party leader Kiran Choudhary excercised their votes in the designated polling station for Haryana.

The Old Committee Room in the Assembly was the designated polling station in Haryana, while in Punjab, the polling was being held in the Assembly complex. The voting began at 10 am and will conclude at 5 pm.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and senior Akali leader Parkash Singh Badal were among those who cast their votes for the presidential poll on Monday.

"The president should be a person pursuing an ideology under which everybody should be equal for him. And when there is a clash of ideologies, I think our candidate (Kumar) is the best," Azad, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the fight between Kovind and Kumar was "one of ideologies" and rated the latter as the best choice for the president's post.

"Kovind ji will win (the election) with a respectable and comfortable margin," Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters ahead of the polling.

"comfortable" margin, while the opposition said its joint pick Meira Kumar was the best choice in the "clash of ideologies".

As lawmakers voted to elect India's next president, the ruling BJP exuded today confidence that NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind would win with a

The NCP dismissed reports that its MPs and MLAs were voting for NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind. “The rumours are false. We are voting for our candidate Meira Kumar,” NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told Hindustan Times.

The Trinamool Congress had come out in support of Opposition's candidate Meira Kumar. However, the Tripura branch decided to vote against Meira and backed Ram Nath Kovind.

Talking to media persons, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, "We voted for Meira Kumar to register our protest against "present atrocities" in the country."

Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, Rajesh Lakhoni said the ballot box would be sealed at 5 pm and taken to Delhi by a 9.10 pm flight.

Voting for the presidential election in Tamil Nadu was over in just about two hours today with 232 legislators, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and a Kerala MLA casting their votes at the Assembly secretariat conference hall in Chennai.

BJP President Amit Shah addresses the media in Delhi on vice presidential polls, announces M Venkaiah Naidu as NDA's Vice Presidential candidate

Sonia Gandhi's contention that the presidential poll is a "clash of ideas" and a "conflict of values" is unconvincing. It is evident that Congress is trying to make a virtue out of political helplessness, short as it is of crucial numbers in the polling game. It is also a hollow statement because the Congress clearly doesn't practice what it preaches.

Leave alone the race to Raisina, Congress looks out of shape for 2019 as well

"A farmer’s son, Venkaiah Naidu Garu brings years of experience in public life and is admired across the political spectrum," Modi said about the urban development minister. "The years of Parliamentary experience M Venkaiah Naidu Garu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson," the prime minister added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to go for a Cabinet expansion as senior minister M Venkaiah Naidu's almost certain election as the next vice president will leave two heavyweight portfolios without a Cabinet minister. Naidu, whose candidature as the NDA's vice presidential candidate was announced on Monday, currently holds charge of the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development. Read more here .

Narendra Modi may go for Cabinet expansion as Venkaiah Naidu's nomination likely to vacate two portfolios

Naidu started his political journey as a student leader in 1971. The BJP veteran, who is a key member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet, had cut his political teeth during the Emergency of 1975-77 when he went underground against the government of Indira Gandhi and eventually got jailed. Read the full profile here .

Venkaiah Naidu is NDA's vice-presidential candidate: All you need to know about the BJP veteran

The former Bihar Governor is also a trained lawyer and a constitutional expert, who is known to have worked on Dalit issues.

The 71-year-old BJP politician known to keep a low profile, is now tipped to become the President of India, if speculations by media reports turn out to be trues. A farmer's son hailing from a small village near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Kovind's humble origins and simple lifestyle were stressed by BJP leaders. His caste identity further forked a pitched battle, with the NDA claiming to have nominated a member of the Dalit community for the highest constitutional post in India.

Kumar is the best thing to have happened to the Opposition since VP Singh won a by-election in Allahabad three decades ago. If the Opposition carries forward its bonhomie, buries the egos of its prima donnas, Kumar could be a readymade candidate to take on Narendra Modi in 2019.

From the defeat of the presidential polls could rise the Opposition's prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 elections.

Even if Meira Kumar loses the presidential poll, this could be the beginning of her story.

"I also believe in the inner voice of conscience," she also said.

When asked about cross-voting, she said that such words should not be used for such elections.

"This is my commitment. This is why I joined politics," she added.

"We just made the voices of many people who believe in a certain set of principles stronger," she said.

"Most of the people believe in a certain set of principles. We fought these elections on the basis of those principles," Meira Kumar told reporters.

According to Financial Express , Kovind is leading over Kumar from states like Bihar and Assam.

Ram Nath Kovind leads over Meira Kumar after first round of counting ends: Reports

From Bihar, Kovind got 22,460 votes while Kumar got 18,867.

According to News18 , Ram Nath Kovind got 27,189 votes from Andhra Pradesh while Meira Kumar got none. Fron Arunachal Pradesh, Kovind got 448 votes while Kumar got 24. From Assam, Kovind got 10,556 while Kumar got 460.

As of now, the total number of votes polled are 6,84,179. There are 37 invalid votes.

State-wise break up of votes so far

Ram Nath Kovind got six votes in Delhi while Meira Kumar got 55. Six of the votes were rejected.

Ram Nath Kovind has crossed the half way mark as the last phase of counting is underway, ANI reported

Ram Nath Kovind to be sworn in on 25 July

Kovind has a long career in politics behind him. He has headed the BJP's Dalit Morcha and is among one of the few Dalit faces the party could boast of in it's folds in north India. The party has also nominated him as its Rajya Sabha MP from the Hindi heartland twice in the past, where he enjoyed consecutive terms from 1994 for the next 12 year till March, 2006.

Ram Nath Kovind is the 14th President of India: All you need to know about him

"I want to tell the people that Ram Nath Kovind is going to the Rashtrapati Bhawan as a representative of the poor," said Kovind. He added that protecting the Constitution is his responsibility now.

It is a very emotional moment for me: Ram Nath Kovind

The Congress stood for "fake" slogans of Dalit empowerment as it did not field a Dalit when its candidate won the presidential elections in 2007 and 2012, he said.

BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao said there were many to say that it was indeed an ideological contest with the NDA's "merit-based" selection pitted against the dynasty promoted by the Congress-led alliance.

This easy demeanour has stood the Kanpur-born former lawyer in good stead, say political watchers. He is not just a Dalit leader, but is known for his organisational skills and is a loyal member of the BJP, attributes that not many in the larger NDA family can boast of.

It was perhaps Kovind's non-confrontational approach to politics that led the JD(U) chief to back him for the president's office even though he had been critical of his appointment as the governor, but later it led to the curious situation of the party endorsing the opposition's candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the vice president's post.

Stepping away from quietude to the spotlight of constant scrutiny that comes with being the country's first citizen, Kovind was picked for the job by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from Raj Bhavan in Patna, where he had struck an easy working relationship with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Ram Nath Kovind is known for his organisational skills and easy demeanor

This easy demeanour has stood the Kanpur-born former lawyer in good stead, say political watchers. He is not just a Dalit leader, but is known for his organisational skills and is a loyal member of the BJP, attributes that not many in the larger NDA family can boast of.

It was perhaps Kovind's non-confrontational approach to politics that led the JD(U) chief to back him for the president's office even though he had been critical of his appointment as the governor, but later it led to the curious situation of the party endorsing the opposition's candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the vice president's post.

Stepping away from quietude to the spotlight of constant scrutiny that comes with being the country's first citizen, Kovind was picked for the job by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from Raj Bhavan in Patna, where he had struck an easy working relationship with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Ram Nath Kovind is known for his organisational skills and easy demeanor

From burning lamps using ghee, distributing sweets to welcoming guests with 'gulaal' and flowers, a festive spirit permeated the atmosphere in Jhinjhak, 160 kilometres from Lucknow. Family members of the newly-elected president, who will go to Delhi by train on 23 July, have already started buying clothes for the swearing in ceremony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets President Elect #RamNathKovind in Delhi, congratulates him on his victory pic.twitter.com/pAnH0LY7zR

In pictures: Modi meets Kovind and congratulates him for the win

Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Shri Ram Nath Kovind on being elected as the 14th President of India #PresidentMukherjee

How easy was it for Ram Nath Kovind to win the election?

Congratulations to #RamNathKovind for being elected as 14th President of India. The nation has got an honest & dedicated President: Assam CM pic.twitter.com/O3Noq3n9gq

#RamNathKovind 's victory marks an important milestone in the political history. It reflects empowerment of weaker sections of society:J&K CM pic.twitter.com/4SWFqLitPY

Confident that he (Ram Nath Kovind) will work for all from his position.Had very good experience with Pranab Da: Lok Sabha Speaker S Mahajan pic.twitter.com/4URZdxrXXo

Sumitra Mahajan expresses hope that Kovind will work for all

The counting for the presidential election held on Monday will start on Thursday and the name of the next occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhawan would be known by 5.00 pm, according to reports.

According to Lok Sabha secretary general Anoop Mishra, who is also the returning officer of the election, the counting would begin at 11 am. First, the ballot box of Parliament House would be opened, and then, the ballot boxes received from states would be counted on alphabetical basis.

Officials said all preparations have been made for the vote count and that all ballot boxes have already reached Parliament House by Tuesday evening amid tight security, according to IANS.

The votes would be counted on four separate tables and there would be eight rounds of counting.

An Election Commission official who has witnessed previous two presidential polls said that usually, results are declared at around 5 pm.

Close to 99 percent voting was recorded for electing India's next president.

The numbers are stacked in favour of the ruling coalition's nominee Ram Nath Kovind over the Opposition's candidate Meira Kumar.

Thirty two polling stations including the one in Parliament house, were set up in various states.

Officials said the seals of ballot boxes will be opened on Thursday in the presence of representatives of the two candidates — former Bihar Governor Kovind and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar — and the observers of the Election Commission.

A total of 4,896 voters — 4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs — were eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the electoral college.

While the value of an MLA's vote depends on the population of the state he or she belongs to, the value of an MP's vote remains the same at 708.

The total value of votes of the presidential electoral college is 10,98,903, and the NDA candidate is slated to get over 63 percent votes.

In the last presidential election in 2012, Pranab Mukherjee had defeated PA Sangma and got over 69 percent votes.