New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Tuesday exuded confidence in the victory of NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan in the Vice Presidential elections, saying that he will win with a "full majority."
Speaking to ANI, the BJP MP stated that the candidate nominated by the BJP-led NDA is "very graceful" and his life has been full of achievements.
"Wait for the results. The candidate nominated by the BJP-NDA is very graceful; his life has been full of achievements. I am confident that he will win with a full majority. The country will get a new Vice President, and the Rajya Sabha will get a new chairman," Thakur said.
Meanwhile, several Union Ministers, including Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju and others cast their vote for the Vice-Presidential elections at the Parliament House.
The voting for the 15th Vice Presidential election began on Tuesday morning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi exercising his franchise first, along with other prominent ministers and MPs.
NDA's CP Radhakrishnan is pitted against joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy. Both the leaders are contesting against each other in a high-stakes election, as it came 50 days after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post as the Vice President on July 21, citing health reasons.
Following the voting, the counting of votes will take place this evening.
Both the BJP-led NDA and opposition parties held mock polls ahead of the crucial day earlier, telling the MPs to be cautious in exercising their franchise lest their vote be invalid.
It seems that NDA's candidate CP Radhakrishnan has an edge with 427 MPs, well above the majority mark of 391, supporting him for the post. In the Lok Sabha, Radhakrishnan is expected to receive 293 votes, and 134 votes are likely to be cast in his favour in the Rajya Sabha.
Joint opposition candidate Reddy is backed by 354 MPs, with 249 in the lower house and 105 in the upper house of the Parliament.
Currently, the Parliament comprises 781 members, including 542 in the Lok Sabha with one seat vacant and 239 in the Rajya Sabha with five seats vacant.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) decided to abstain from voting in the Vice Presidential elections. Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) will not take part in the Vice Presidential poll.
Moreover, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced that it will "boycott" the Vice Presidential election, given that people in Punjab are "upset and angry" over no help from the central or state government. (ANI)
