Did Sonia and Rahul Gandhi Cast Their Votes for the VP Election?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi cast their votes at the New Parliament Building.
- The election features a contest between NDA and INDIA bloc candidates.
- Parliamentarians from both sides are participating actively.
- The Vice President plays a vital role as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
- A total of 781 members make up the electoral college for this election.
New Delhi, Sep 9 (NationPress) The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, along with the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), Sonia Gandhi, made their way to the New Parliament Building in New Delhi to exercise their right to vote in the Vice Presidential election on Tuesday.
This election features a contest between the NDA's choice, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, and the candidate from the INDIA alliance, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy.
Also present was Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, who arrived to cast his vote. He was seen walking hand-in-hand with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, both displaying broad smiles.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress MP from Wayanad, was another notable attendee casting her vote in this crucial election.
Parliamentarians from both the NDA and the INDIA bloc were seen arriving in numbers to ensure their votes were counted.
In the official capacity, Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, along with Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, have been designated as the election agents for this significant process.
The counting of votes is scheduled for later today, with results expected to follow soon after.
This election carries substantial political implications, as the Vice President also acts as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, rendering the position vital for parliamentary operations.
The electoral body for this Vice Presidential election consists of 781 members, including 542 elected members of the Lok Sabha and 239 members of the Rajya Sabha (with 233 elected and 12 nominated, while six seats remain vacant across both Houses).
All votes are considered equal, and the secret ballot process is utilized in accordance with established parliamentary norms. A total of 391 votes is required to secure victory.
The Vice Presidential seat became vacant following Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation on July 21, citing health issues, coinciding with the opening of the monsoon session of Parliament.
Political analysts are keenly observing the contest, despite the NDA's perceived numerical advantage across both Houses.
However, the potential for cross-voting and the results due tonight remain the focal points of interest.