By IANS,
Kolkata : Dissident Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman Thursday abstained from voting in the presidential election, citing ill-health and expressing fears that he would be heckled by partymen if he reached the West Bengal assembly to cast his ballot.
“I am not keeping well,” the 63-year-old popular balladeer-turned-parliamentarian told media persons.
“Moreover, some of my well-wishers in the Trinamool have also told me not to go to the assembly to vote as I may be heckled. Though I am not bothered about that, in my present state of health that would be pretty bad. So, I decided not to go and vote,” said Suman.
A month back, when Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee was steadfastly opposed to United Presidential Alliance (UPA) presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee’s bid for the top post, Suman had called the then finance minister the most suitable person for the highest office and declared he would vote for him.
Suman, who has a strained relationship with Banerjee, then even had telephonic talks with Mukehrjee and criticised the Trinamool chief for opposing his candidature.
However, two days ago Banerjee made a u-turn and announced that her party lawmakers would vote for Mukherjee. Suman, however, missed out on voting.