Cong. welcomes Naidu as VP, hopes he maintains grace, tradition of his post

The Congress party on Sunday welcomed former union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu for being elected as the new Vice President of India and hoped that he would maintain the grace and tradition of the post.

"I would first like to congratulate him for being elected for this post and hope that he will maintain the grace and tradition of a Vice-President," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ANI.

"He is quite famous among different political parties. He has his own approach, which helps him to make friends with people easily. I hope he maintains the dignity of his position and will keep up to the rules and regulations of the Rajya Sabha," he added.

Earlier on Saturday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi extended her best wishes to Naidu and asserted that his position has the crucial challenge of assuming a non-partisan role in running the Rajya Sabha.

In a statement, Sonia Gandhi said, "The position of the Vice President of India has the crucial challenge of assuming a non-partisan role in running 'The House of Elders', which acts as a store house of wisdom and sage advice for the government."

Gandhi also offered him the Congress party's support in further strengthening the ' Upper House' for effective scrutiny of legislations and government policies.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee and former union minister was elected as the 13th Vice President of India with 516 votes.

Opposition nominee Gopalkrishna Gandhi secured 244 votes.

Total 771 out of 785 MPs cast their votes today. However, it was revealed that 14 Members of Parliament (MPs) were not present during the voting process.

Voting for the Vice-Presidential Election ended with a total poll percentage of 98.21 per cent.

Naidu will be sworn-in as the new Vice-President of India on August 11.

Outgoing Vice-President Hamid Ansari will demit office on August 10.