The Vice Presidential election is set for September 9th, with voting scheduled from 10 am to 5 pm. Vote counting will begin at 6 pm, and the results will be announced the same evening. The NDA has fielded C.P. Radhakrishnan, while the India bloc has nominated B. Sudarshan Reddy, a former judge of the Supreme Court.
The election involves votes from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, including nominated Rajya Sabha members. No whip is issued, and voting is secret, allowing MPs to vote freely, though party lines generally dictate the outcome. Cross-voting has happened in the past and is a potential factor in this election.
The NDA is meticulously strategizing, focusing on every single vote. With 239 members in the Rajya Sabha and 542 in the Lok Sabha, a winning candidate needs 391 votes. The NDA has a current strength of 425 MPs and is anticipating support from additional parties. The YSRCP has already pledged its support, contributing 7 Rajya Sabha and 4 Lok Sabha votes to the NDA. Consequently, the NDA’s total support is estimated to be at 436 MPs. The BJP also anticipates support from Aam Aadmi Party member Swati Maliwal.
The BJD’s stance remains undecided. The BRS has chosen to abstain from voting. The BJD, however, may support the NDA. BJD leader Naveen Patnaik is in Delhi, potentially discussing support with BJP leaders. The BRS has 4 Rajya Sabha MPs and the BJD has 7.
Regarding the opposition, the voting preferences of three of the seven independent Lok Sabha MPs are unknown. Similarly, the positions of the Akali Dal, ZPM, and VOTTP, each with one MP, are unclear. The opposition currently holds 324 votes, with the margin of victory possibly ranging from one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five votes.
In the previous election in 2022, Jagdeep Dhankhar defeated Margaret Alva by 346 votes. This time, the victory margin is anticipated to be smaller as the opposition is in a stronger position.
To ensure optimal performance, both the NDA and India bloc are conducting training sessions and mock polls to educate MPs and prevent any vote invalidation. The NDA sources suggest that the opposition will likely have around 150 votes in the Rajya Sabha but will secure less than 90 votes.