Members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are casting their votes today to elect the country’s next Vice President. The contest is between NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan and the INDIA bloc candidate B Sudershan Reddy.
The electoral college for the Vice-Presidential election comprises 788 MPs, 245 from the Rajya Sabha and 543 from the Lok Sabha, including 12 nominated members of the Upper House who are also eligible to vote.
However, with 14 MPs not participating, seven from the BJD, four from the BRS, one from the SAD, and two independents, the effective voting strength has dropped to 767.
Of these, the NDA and its allies, along with YSRCP, command the support of around 429 MPs, while the Opposition-backed INDIA bloc has about 324 MPs on its side, giving the ruling alliance’s candidate, CP Radhakrishnan, a clear numerical advantage over B Sudershan Reddy.
Parties Supporting NDA’s CP Radhakrishnan
Lok Sabha: BJP (240), TDP (16), JD(U) (12), Shiv Sena (7), LJP (5), RLD (2), JDS (2), JnP (2), NCP (1), ADAL (1), AJSUP (1), AGP (1), UPPL (1), HAMS (1), SKM (1).
Rajya Sabha: BJP (102), AIADMK (4), JD(U) (4), NCP (3), TDP (2), AGP (1), JD(S) (1), NPP (1), RLD (1), RLM (1), RPI(A) (1), Shiv Sena (1), TMC (Moopanar) (1), UPPL (1), Independent (Kartikeya Sharma), plus 7 nominated members.
Parties With INDIA Bloc’s B Sudershan Reddy
Lok Sabha: Congress (99), SP (37), TMC (28), DMK (22), Shiv Sena–UBT (9), NCP–Sharad Pawar faction (8), RJD (4), CPI(M) (4), IUML (3), JMM (3), CPI(ML-L) (2), VCK (2), CPI (2), NC (2), KEC (1), RSP (1), VOTPP (1), RLTP (1), Bharat Adivasi Party (1), MDMK (1), Independents (3).
Rajya Sabha: Congress (27), TMC (13), DMK (10), RJD (5), CPI(M) (4), SP (4), CPI (2), IUML (2), NCP–SP faction (2), JMM (1), Shiv Sena–UBT (2), Anchalik Gana Morcha (1), Kerala Congress (M) (1), MNM (1), Independent (1).