Outcome of Assembly polls in five states to decide next President of India

New Delhi: The assembly polls currently underway are not so much about next chief ministers as about finding the next President of India.

As President Ram Nath Kovind's term ends on July 24, the polls in five states could have a bearing on the election of the next President of the nation.

Results of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa on March 10 will decide which party or alliance will have a decisive say in the presidential election, according to PTI.

Given the BJP's comfortable position today, the party nominee will make to the country's top office.

If BJP falls short in numbers in UP, leading to other parties gaining more seats, could bring into picture Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to play decisive roles.

Among states, the value of an Uttar Pradesh MLA's vote is the highest at 208, while that of Sikkim is lowest at seven. Among the poll-going states – the value of votes of an MLA from Punjab is 116, Uttarakhand (64), Goa (20) and Manipur (18), PTI reports.

More important of the five states having a say on president election is Uttar Pradesh with value of vote of each of the 403 MLAs of the state is the highest 208.

Being the most populous of the states, UP's the total value of votes of the Uttar Pradesh assembly is 83,824, whereas Punjab has 13,572).As for other states: Uttarakhand (4480), Goa (800) and Manipur (1080).

Doing the math analysts say NDA is just short of the 50 per cent mark meaning it has to seek support of friendly parties to induct own candidate in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

TRS leader K Chandrasekhar Rao met many opposition leaders, already with plans to outmaneuver BJP in the presidential election.

The Opposition camp started banding about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a joint opposition candidate, hoping to divide the BJP's NDA alliance on the Presidential election.

The Electoral College for the presidential election comprises elected members of the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and elected members of state legislative assemblies and that of NCT Delhi and Union Territory of Puducherry. Members of Legislative Councils and nominated members do not form part of the Electoral College, PTI reports.

The presidential elections follow the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. The value of each vote is pre-determined in proportion to the population of the respective state based on the 1971 census, it added.