NEW DELHI (PTI): Dr Shanker Dayal Sharma the ruling Congress-I party nominee was elected the ninth President of India this week.
Seventy-four year old Sharma defeated the right wing Bharatiya Janata party and National Front nominee Prof. George Gilbert Swell polling 64.78 per cent of the total valid votes against the latter’s tally of 33.21 per cent of the voles in the tenth presidential election.
Sharma’s lead over his nearest rival Prof. Swell was 329379 value votes out of the 10.43 lakh total votes polled.
Sharma got the support of 510 MPs and 2355 M.L.As whose total vote value was 675,864. Prof. Swell had the backing of 218M.Ps and 1284 M.LA.S who commanded a total vote value of 346,485.
The other two candidates Ram Jethmalani who retired from the contest at the fag end of the campaign and Kaka Joginder Singh alias ‘Dharti Pakar’ fared poorly at the elections.
Two MPs and 11 M.L.As supported Jethmalani for a total vote value of 2704. Joginder Singh merited the support of an MP and three M.L.A s to get a total vote value of 1135.
Votes of 14 M.Ps and 53 M.L.As were found invalid accounting for 17199 value votes (1.65 percent).
Soon after the announcement of his election Sharma said he would strive to keep aloft the cherished dream of the father of nation to see India as a land of peace and prosperity.
In a statement he said that he was conscious of the sense of deep humility and personal gratitude of the Mps and Mlas belonging to diverse political parties for expressing their confidence in his being able to serve the nation from the office of president.
Sharma said like every other citizen he yearned to see India as a land of peace harmony prosperity and social justice — making her own rightful contribution to the betterment of the human kind.
Sharma said the election signified the quality of time tested system of democracy in the country.
Prof Swell who lost to Sharma described his defeat as a fight in which one will lose one will win no comments he said when asked if he would contest for vice president’s post.
Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao called on Shanker Dayal Sharma soon after his election and congratulated him
Asked about his reaction to Sharma’s election as the president of India the prime minister said l can only say that the country had got the right president most capable and the country’s future is safe in his hands.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1992
