Radhakrishnan vs Reddy: MPs set to elect India's next Vice President

The NDA has a clear majority in the vice presidential election with 425 MPs, while opposition nominee B Sudershan Reddy banks on cross-voting amid YSRCP and fence-sitters

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) candidate C P Radhakrishnan seems to have a clear edge over opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy in Tuesday’s vice-presidential election, even as both the sides are trying to woo voters from across parties.

 

On Sunday, Reddy urged members of parliament (MPs) not to let party loyalty guide their choice. The NDA strategists have also reached out to political parties that are currently fence-sitters.

 

The vice-presidential election takes place under a secret ballot system, and MPs are not bound by party whips to vote.

 

The electoral college for the vice-presidential election comprises a total of 788 members - 245 from the Rajya Sabha and 543 from the Lok Sabha. The 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are also eligible to vote in the election.

 

The present strength of the electoral college is 781 as six seats are vacant in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha. This puts the majority mark at 391. The NDA has 425 MPs, while the opposition camp has the backing of 324.

 

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), with 11 members in Parliament, which is not part of either of the two alliances, has decided to support the NDA nominee.

 

However, Reddy is from undivided Andhra Pradesh, and Reddys being a key support group of the YSRCP, there is pressure on the party’s MPs to support him. 

 

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi, with four MPs, Biju Janata Dal, which has seven MPs, one each from the Shiromani Akali Dal, Zoram People’s Movement of Mizoram, and Meghalaya’s Voice of the People Party, and three Independents are yet to clearly indicate their preference. Both the NDA, as well as the Opposition, has reached out to these parties.

 

Voting will take place in the Parliament House between 10 AM and 5 PM. Counting of votes will begin at 6 PM, and the results will be announced late evening.

 

The MPs will be handed out ballot papers containing the names of the two contesting candidates and will have to mark their preference by writing the figure '1' opposite the name of the candidate of their choice.

 

“The figures may be marked in the international form of Indian numerals or in the Roman form or in the form used in any Indian language, but shall not be indicated in words,” the rules of the vice-presidential election state.

 

Radhakrishnan, 67, a senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, is currently the Maharashtra’s governor. He served as a two-term member of the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore during the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was later the Tamil Nadu BJP’s state unit president.

 

Reddy, 79, is a former Supreme Court judge who hails from Telangana and is known for key judgements, including the one declaring Salwa Judum, a group of trained tribal youth deployed as special police officers to take on Naxalites, as illegal and unconstitutional. He retired from the apex court in July 2011.

 

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