New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Voting for the election of India’s next Vice President began Tuesday morning, with lawmakers from both Houses of Parliament heading to cast their votes in what is shaping up to be a high-stakes political event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to vote as polling commenced at 10:00 AM.
The electoral contest pits the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) nominee CP Radhakrishnan, a 68-year-old veteran politician, against the opposition-backed candidate, 79-year-old former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy. Polling will continue until 5 PM, after which counting is scheduled to begin at 6 PM.
781 MPs to Decide the Outcome
A total of 781 Members of Parliament—543 from the Lok Sabha and 238 from the Rajya Sabha—are eligible to vote in this indirect election. The Vice President is elected through a secret ballot, and while party affiliations play a major role, members are not bound by a party whip in this vote.
If all MPs cast their votes according to party strength, CP Radhakrishnan is expected to garner the support of around 422 lawmakers, giving him a comfortable lead. B. Sudarshan Reddy, backed by the INDIA bloc, is projected to receive 319 votes. However, with voting confidential, any cross-voting could introduce unexpected turns in the final results.
Regional Parties Distance Themselves
The political landscape surrounding the election took an interesting turn as several influential regional parties decided not to participate. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), led by K. Chandrashekar Rao, and Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD), both announced their decision to remain neutral. The BRS controls 4 Rajya Sabha seats, while BJD holds 7—numbers that could have tipped the balance slightly in a closely fought contest.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), with one MP in the Lok Sabha, also opted out of the vote, citing the ongoing flood crisis in Punjab as its reason for abstention.
In contrast, the YSR Congress Party, with 11 members in Parliament, confirmed its support for the NDA candidate, bolstering Radhakrishnan’s position further.
Opposition Rallies Behind Reddy
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi declared his party’s support for the INDIA bloc’s candidate, Sudarshan Reddy. The INDIA alliance is aiming to consolidate anti-BJP forces in Parliament, and the Vice Presidential election serves as both a symbolic and strategic contest for the opposition, even if a win remains unlikely.
“This election is a chance to present a constitutional counterweight. Even if the numbers aren’t in our favour, we stand united behind democratic principles,” an INDIA bloc leader told reporters.
Jagdeep Dhankhar’s Sudden Exit
The election comes after former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped down unexpectedly on July 21, citing health concerns. Dhankhar, who assumed office in 2022, was originally set to serve until August 2027. His resignation created a mid-term vacancy, prompting today’s poll.
