Will Their Conscience Awaken? Opposition MPs on Vice-Presidential Elections

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Voting for the Vice Presidential election is underway.
- Opposition leaders express hope for cross-voting from NDA allies.
- This election is framed as a battle for India's democratic integrity.
- The winner will succeed Jagdeep Dhankhar.
- Counting of votes will occur after 6 p.m.
New Delhi, Sep 9 (NationPress) As the voting for the Vice Presidential election commenced in the New Parliament Building on Tuesday, prominent figures from the opposition INDIA bloc expressed a tempered sense of hope, believing that some MPs from the ruling NDA might vote with a moral compass.
Congress MP Dharamvira Gandhi remarked that the election poses significant hurdles, yet remains conquerable. “This is a challenging contest. On one side, we have a ruling party that employs every tactic to secure victory, while on the other side stands our INDIA bloc. I trust that BJP leaders will connect with their inner integrity and cast their votes free of ulterior motives. We aspire for our candidate to triumph,” he stated to reporters outside Parliament.
Opposition candidate and former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy is facing off against NDA contender and Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan. The victor will take over from Jagdeep Dhankhar, who stepped down earlier this year due to health issues.
Voting is set to last until 5 p.m., with the counting of votes planned for after 6 p.m. The electoral college consists of 781 MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, with a majority threshold of 391.
Senior Congress leader Imran Masood emphasized that this election is a pivotal moment for India’s democratic integrity. “This election is crucial for preserving the nation’s essence. Let’s observe whose moral awareness is awakened. Should the NDA allies heed their inner convictions, the freedom of our nation will be safeguarded. We anticipate a just victory,” he declared.
Another Congress MP, Amar Singh, expressed a succinct and confident sentiment: “Our candidate Sudarshan Reddy is destined to win.”
Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, the opposition is counting on potential cross-voting from NDA allies and independent MPs, framing this contest as a measure of moral bravery versus mere party allegiance.
As the voting progresses, attention is now directed towards the evening count that will reveal who will assume the second-highest constitutional office in India.