The stage is set for the Vice Presidential election on Tuesday, with the NDA exuding confidence in the victory of its candidate CP Radhakrishnan, while the opposition parties have thrown their weight behind Justice B Sudershan Reddy.
Both blocs conducted mock drills to minimize the risk of invalid ballots, instructing MPs to be extra cautious during voting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after addressing NDA MPs, said Radhakrishnan’s candidature has sparked widespread enthusiasm and expressed faith that he would enrich the Vice President’s office with wisdom and insight.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju claimed that Radhakrishnan would secure support beyond NDA’s numbers. “Many MPs are thinking of voting for him. It is in the national interest that a nationalist leader like Radhakrishnan becomes Vice President,” Rijiju said, urging MPs to ensure not a single vote is wasted.
On the opposition side, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai confirmed that a mock poll was conducted, with all INDIA bloc members united behind Justice Reddy.
According to party sources, the BJP expects Radhakrishnan to secure around 427 votes, while Congress leaders believe the opposition nominee will bag over 324.
Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has opted to abstain, citing its equidistant stance from both NDA and INDIA, with a focus on Odisha’s development. Similarly, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) announced it would boycott the polls in protest over the Centre’s inaction on the fertilizer shortage in Telangana, saying that if NOTA had been available, it would have chosen that option.
