Seethakka goofs up, votes for NDA's Draupadi Murmu

HYDERABAD: Seethakka, Congress legislator from Mulugu in Telangana, caused the party some embarrassing moments during the polling for the Presidential election on Monday when she mistakenly cast her vote to the NDA nominee Draupadi Murmu.

This happened at the state Assembly committee hall where the polling for Telangana was being held. After the presiding officials handed her the ballot paper, she ticked the box in favour of Draupadi Murmu instead of Yashwant Sinha, whom the Congress party is supporting.

She realized her mistake soon and requested the presiding officials for a new ballot paper. The polling officers, who expressed their inability to replace the ballot paper, assured her of taking a decision after consulting the authorities concerned.

By design or by accident, the goof-up by Seethakka is certain put the Congress party in a tricky spot given the fact that Congress party is strongly supporting Yashwant Sinha's candidature. All eyes are now on the presiding officers and what decision they will take on the status of her ballot.

However, Seethakka came up with clarification later in the day denying the reports that she voted for Draupadi Murmu instead of the Congress choice of Yashwant Sinha. She sought to clear the air by saying that she was never in the habit of crossing the party line. Seethakka said that the tick mark inadvertently went on top of the ballot paper and not against any particular name as was widely reported in the media.