Listen to your conscience: Gujarat minister asks tribal Congress leader to vote for Murmu

Thus, I appeal to you and other Congress MLAs to listen to your conscience and vote for her, Vaghani was heard telling Rathva, who replied with a smile and walked away.Rathva had told reporters that BJP has fielded Murmu with an eye on the votes of tribals ahead of elections in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

Gujarat opposition leader Sukhram Rathva of Congress was surprised when senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and state minister Jitu Vaghani on Monday urged him to vote for NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu by listening to his ''conscience'' instead of Yashwant Sinha.

A short discussion in Gujarati between tribal leader Rathva and education minister Vaghani happened in front of reporters on the third floor of the Assembly complex.

Voting for the Presidential poll was held on the fourth floor of the state Assembly complex here.

Vaghani stopped Rathva when the latter was headed towards his office in the Assembly complex after casting his vote and speaking to TV channels.

''Murmuji hails from a tribal community. Thus, I appeal to you and other Congress MLAs to listen to your conscience and vote for her,'' Vaghani was heard telling Rathva, who replied with a smile and walked away.

Rathva had told reporters that BJP has fielded Murmu with an eye on the votes of tribals ahead of elections in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. ''It is obvious that BJP wants to woo tribal voters of three states ahead of the Assembly elections in Gujarat (due in December this year) and Rajasthan and MP by projecting Murmu as the first woman tribal president of the country,'' he said.

Meanwhile, eyebrows were raised over the presence of Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh, Parimal Nathwani, in the Assembly complex here though he was expected to be in Delhi to cast his vote at Parliament like other members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, except nominated MPs.

Nathwani said he had already taken permission from authorities to cast his vote at Gandhinagar instead of Delhi.

''I cast my vote here with permission from authorities,'' he told reporters.