Will Pralhad Joshi's Confidence Lead NDA to Victory in VP Election?

New Delhi, Sep 9 (NationPress) Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi expressed strong optimism on Tuesday regarding the NDA's Vice-Presidential candidate's chances of achieving a significant majority. He emphasized that if lawmakers cast their votes thoughtfully, they should not support the INDIA bloc candidate.

The upcoming election for Vice President is scheduled for later today, featuring a contest between the NDA nominee, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, and the candidate from the INDIA bloc, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy.

Congress leaders, including party MP Manickam Tagore, have urged their colleagues to vote intelligently in favor of the INDIA bloc candidate.

In response, Joshi remarked to the media, "If the Congress is genuinely calling for a wise choice, their candidate from the alliance will face a significant loss. If one is to make a smart choice, the INDIA bloc nominee is not a viable option. There is considerable discontent within the Congress regarding their candidate."

Expressing his assurance, he stated, "We are quite confident that we will emerge victorious with a decisive majority."

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also expressed certainty about the NDA nominee's success, asserting, "The NDA candidate will undoubtedly win," during a press interaction.

This election carries substantial political significance, as the Vice President of India also holds the position of Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, making this role crucial for the functioning of Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to cast the first vote. Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Ram Mohan Naidu, along with Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, have been designated as official election agents for the voting process.

The vote counting is set to commence at 6:00 p.m., with results expected to be revealed later this evening.

The electoral college for this Vice Presidential election consists of 781 members, which includes 542 elected Lok Sabha members and 239 Rajya Sabha members (233 elected and 12 nominated, with six vacancies across both Houses).

All votes possess equal weight, and the voting process is conducted through a secret ballot, adhering to established parliamentary norms. To secure victory, a candidate requires a majority of 391 votes.

The position of Vice President became vacant following Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation on July 21 due to health reasons, coinciding with the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament.

Political analysts anticipate a closely contested election, although the NDA is perceived to have a numerical edge in the combined strength of both Houses.

Nonetheless, attention remains focused on the potential for cross-voting and the final results this evening.