Controversy surrounds the recent Vice Presidential election, where NDA candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan emerged victorious. Following the outcome, opposition parties have accused the BJP of engaging in cross-voting and vote-buying practices. TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has been particularly vocal, claiming that the BJP spent between 15 and 20 crore rupees per MP to secure their votes. Banerjee stated that this was a deliberate attempt to undermine democracy.
During the election, Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes, while B. Sudarshan Reddy, the opposition candidate, received 300 votes. This discrepancy has led to accusations of some MPs voting against their party’s instructions. Banerjee highlighted that he had been informed that the BJP paid a substantial sum to each MP to secure their vote. He also pointed out that the public’s trust and sentiment were being sold by the representatives who had been elected by the public.
Banerjee questioned the increased vote share of the NDA compared to the reduced support for the INDIA bloc, especially considering earlier claims by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh that 315 MPs supported Reddy. He also drew attention to the possibility of cross-voting or spoiled votes. He also brought up previous instances of alleged manipulation, referencing the 2021 Bengal elections and the 2024 attempts to bribe polling agents.
Other opposition leaders have expressed their views. Congress leader Manish Tewari advocated for a thorough investigation into any cross-voting. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav confirmed his party’s support for the INDIA bloc. NCP leader Supriya Sule questioned how the BJP could be aware of who voted for whom due to the secret ballot. Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) accused the BJP of betrayal and of using agencies to blackmail.
The BJP has refuted these allegations. BJP leader Shamik Bhattacharya said that the election results showed the NDA’s unity, contrasting it with the divided opposition.