As expected, the UPA candidate, Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday won with a huge margin for Rashtrapati Bhavan with a huge margin and left behind the UPA rival PA Sangma behind. Mukherjee scored a vote value of 7,13, 763 in the elections which was said to be ‘bitterly contested’.
The vote value secured by Mukherjee was much ahead of the half way mark at 5,25, 140 in an electoral college of more than 10.5 lakh. Mukherjee’s rival PA Sangma was supported by some of the opposition parties including BJP but could manage to get only a vote value of 3,15,987.
VK Agnihotri, the Returning officer for the Presidential election announced, “I declare that Shri Pranab Mukherjee has been duly elected to the office of President of India”. Pranab after the announcement gave a brief comment saying that he would pledge to “protect, defend and preserve” the Constitution of India.
Mukherjee added, “I will try to justify in a modest way as I can to be trustworthy”. After the expected win, greetings poured in from all over the country. The wishes also came from UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, BJP President Nitin Gadkari, several senior cabinet Ministers, chief ministers and Governors of various states. Former Lok Sabh Speaker who quit NCP to contest the Presidential elections, Sangma also wished Mukherjee success.
