Vice-Presidential elections | Numbers stacked in NDA's favour as some parties to abstain from voting

Seven-member BJD and four-member BRS to abstain from voting; voting preference of seven MPs not known

New Delhi: Seven-member BJD, four-member BRS and one-member Akali Dal will abstain from voting in the Vice-Presidential election on Tuesday, even as the ruling NDA and the Opposition made last-minute preparations to ensure that their votes remain intact, besides attracting lawmakers from the other side.

With this, only 769 of the total 781 MPs in the electoral college will vote in the contest between Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, fielded by the ruling NDA, and former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy, the Opposition candidate.

If all the 769 MPs, excluding 11 BJD and BRS lawmakers, cast their vote on party lines, Radhakrishnan may get 439 votes, including 11 from the YSR Congress, while Justice Reddy may get 324 votes. The voting preference of seven MPs is not known.

The election was necessitated by the surprise resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, citing health reasons, on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 21, even as unofficial accounts suggested that the worsening relationship between him and the government led to the unprecedented step.

Ending speculation about where they would vote, both BJD and BRS announced their intention not to vote in the elections, claiming that both the candidates were linked to two coalitions of which they were not part of.

BJD Rajya Sabha floor leader Sasmit Patra told reporters, “The BJD has decided to abstain from the Vice-Presidential elections. The BJD remains equidistant from both the NDA and I.N.D.I.A alliances. We are focused on the development and welfare of Odisha and 4.5 crore people of Odisha.”

BRS working president KT Rama Rao said, “Both Congress and BJP are harassing Telangana farmers by failing to provide sufficient urea. That’s why the BRS has decided not to participate in the Vice-Presidential elections on behalf of 71 lakh Telangana farmers. If the NOTA option was available, we would have used that. Since it is not an option, we are abstaining.”

Announcing its decision to "boycott" the elections, Akali Dal said, "when Punjab is facing this tragedy (floods), the country goes to Vice Presidential election tomorrow. But people of Punjab are very upset and angry with the state govt and centre govt because neither Punjab govt nor centre govt nor the Congress, has come to help them. The Shiromani Akali Dal represents the sentiments and the voice of the people of Punjab."

Sources indicated that all eyes are on Shiv Sena UBT as some MPs were of the view that they should opt out of I.N.D.I.A. bloc and join hands with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Also, senior Ministers have reached out to some Opposition MPs. On the other hand, sources said, the Opposition hopes that some TDP and YSR Congress MPs could opt for Justice Reddy as he is a Telugu.

Shiv Sena floor leader Shrikant Shinde told reporters, “Everyone makes appeals during the elections. You will see tomorrow, the numbers will be more than the number of the total NDA members.” 

BJP attacked Justice Reddy for his meeting with RJD chief Lalu Prasad, with senior MP Ravishankar Prasad saying the Opposition candidate has given a statement that MPs should vote for him to save the soul of the nation, but he met someone who is convicted in the fodder scam.

“What kind of a retired judge are you to meet someone who is convicted? This is hypocrisy. Please don’t talk about the soul of the nation,” he said. Twenty lawyers also issued a statement expressing concern over the meeting.

During the day, both sides held meetings to train their MPs on how to vote, as the voting in the Vice-Presidential election is in the preferential mode. TDP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and JD(U) MPs held separate meetings during the day.

“In most elections, there are often 10-15 invalid votes. Although we are well-prepared, we may inadvertently lose our valid votes due to our over-enthusiasm. To avoid that, we held a mock poll in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan,” CPI(M) Rajya Sabha floor leader John Brittas said.

Vice Presidential Elections

Polling: 10 AM to 5 PM

Counting: 6 PM

Venue: F-101, Vasudha, Parliament House

Candidates:

1) B Sudershan Reddy

2) CP Radhakrishnan

Electoral College: 781

Mode of Election: Preferential

Value of one vote: One

* Preference to be marked in figures only

* Votes to be marked only using pen provided by designated official

(With inputs from SNV Sudhir in Hyderabad)