The contest for the presidential election looked a lopsided affair in favour of the NDA candidate and tribal nominee, Draupadi Murmu. Opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha, who pleaded for conscience votes today in a bid to make inroads in the BJP camp to wean away some votes, the focus in West Bengal Assembly however, shifted to the alleged fear of cross-voting as the ruling Trinamul Congress and the Opposition traded barbs on the purported beneficiaries of an issue which both the camps claimed to be loaded in their favour.

The first such a salvo came from none other than the Trinamul Congress national secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, who, while leaving the Assembly today after casting his ballot, told news persons that the BJP was apprehensive of cross-voting from its legislators. As a result they herded its MLAs into a hotel, indulging in “resort politics’ ‘.

In an apparent nudge to the BJP, Diamond Harbour MP, said, “The proverb ‘as you sow, so you reap’ fits the BJP well. This is the outcome of politics they often resort to by keeping lawmakers of other parties holed up in a hotel to usurp power through the backdoor. The fear of cross-voting has crept into the BJP so much that it had to herd its MLAs into a hotel to keep its flock together. We don’t need to keep our lawmakers, who are in the BJP-ruled state, holed up indoors because they know that Mamata Banerjee is with the people and public support for her is swelling all the time. They are scared and apprehensive. They are not able to stymie the Trinamul juggernaut by letting loose the agencies like the CBI and the ED against us. So they have taken refuge in resort politics. They are the architects of resort politics in the state.”

Saugata Roy, the Dum Dum MP from Trinamul Congress said that the BJP was on a sticky wicket. He too agreed with what Abhishek had to say on the saffron camp.

“We are doubly sure that some among the MLAs of the BJP would cast cross-votes in favour of the Opposition candidate,” quipped the veteran parliamentarian.

Firhad Hakim, the mayor and state transport minister, said that the state of West Bengal would create history by giving the mammoth lead for the Opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha.

Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition said the Trinamul Congress party offices resemble star hotels. From where did they get funds and what is the source of such funds that helped the party in raising such luxurious offices. “Their source is money from the coal and cattle smuggling scams. What is wrong in keeping our lawmakers in a hotel for which the funds the party raised through election bonds,” said Adhikari.

Earlier, out of the total strength of the West Bengal Assembly of 294, a total of 291 MLAs had cast their franchise. One Trinamul MLA was absent as he was on Haj pilgrimage and one MLA Sadhan Pandy had passed away. The lone ISF lawmaker Nausad Siddqui abstained from voting.

Out of 291 MLAs, the Assembly was witness to a total of 221 MLAs belonging to the ruling party; 216 of the TMC plus five, who defected to the party from the BJP while the BJP had 70 MLAs.

As far as MPs are concerned, of the 23 TMC LS MPs, 19 had turned out for voting at the Assembly today, while four had cast ballots in New Delhi. Thirteen Rajya Sabha MPs from TMC also voted in the Assembly today. While the 17 BJP MPs cast their ballots too.