Vice Presidential Poll Today: NDA’s Radhakrishnan Faces INDIA Bloc’s Reddy in Key Test of Alliances
India’s Parliament is set for a high-stakes electoral showdown today as members vote to elect the 14th Vice President, with NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan squaring off against the opposition INDIA bloc’s Justice B Sudershan Reddy. The contest, triggered by the abrupt resignation of incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar on health grounds in July, will serve as a litmus test for alliance cohesion and could influence dynamics in the Rajya Sabha, where the winner will also serve as chairperson.
Voting commences at 10 am in Parliament House and continues until 5 pm, with counting slated to begin an hour later. Results are expected by evening, potentially shaping the political narrative ahead of the next session. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to cast the first vote before departing for flood-affected Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. The electoral college consists of 781 MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, though abstentions by parties like BRS, BJD, and SAD reduce the effective strength to 770, setting the majority threshold at 386 votes.
Numbers favor the NDA, which boasts 425 MPs and additional support from YSR Congress’s 11 members, pushing its tally to around 436. AAP’s Swati Maliwal is also expected to back Radhakrishnan, potentially widening the gap. The INDIA bloc, with 324 MPs, faces an uphill battle but hopes to capitalize on any cross-voting in the secret ballot, where no party whip applies. Three independents and MPs from smaller outfits like Zoram People’s Movement remain undeclared, adding an element of suspense. Analysts predict a narrower NDA win than Dhankhar’s 346-vote margin in 2022, estimating a 100-125 vote lead, reflecting the opposition’s gains post the last Lok Sabha polls.
The election process uses proportional representation via single transferable vote, with MPs marking preferences on bilingual ballots. Invalid votes—due to ambiguous marks or identity reveals—are a risk, prompting both sides to conduct mock polls and briefings. Jailed MPs like Sheikh Abdul Rashid and Amritpal Singh will use postal ballots. While the NDA’s arithmetic suggests victory, any defections could signal internal fissures.
Radhakrishnan, 68, a veteran BJP leader from Tamil Nadu and current Maharashtra Governor, represents the alliance’s push for southern outreach, hailing from the influential Gounder community. Reddy, 79, a former Supreme Court judge from Telangana, is pitched by the opposition as a champion of judicial independence, known for landmark rulings against the Salwa Judum and on black money probes. The outcome will not only fill the vacancy but also gauge alliance strengths in a polarized political landscape.
