Voting is underway today for the vice-presidential election, called after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on 21 July due to health concerns. With votes cast between 10 am and 5 pm at Parliament’s Vasudha chamber, C P Radhakrishnan of the NDA faces off against former Supreme Court judge Sudarshan Reddy, backed by the INDIA bloc. The NDA commands a strong numerical edge with approximately 425 MPs, compared with 324 MPs supporting the opposition. The decision by both the Biju Janata Dal and Bharat Rashtra Samithi to abstain has further tilted the balance in favour of the ruling alliance.
The Times of India
The Times of India
The Biju Janata Dal, under Naveen Patnaik, declared on 8 September that it will abstain from the vote. The party framed the move as a neutral, strategic stance focused on safeguarding Odisha’s interests rather than aligning with any bloc. With just seven members in the Rajya Sabha and no representation in the Lok Sabha, the BJD’s abstention is largely symbolic, though it reinforces its narrative of political autonomy.
Earlier today, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi announced its own abstention, citing unresolved distress among Telangana farmers, particularly due to a prolonged urea shortage. BRS leaders criticised both the central and state governments for failing to address the crisis. In issuing the directive, party working president K. T. Rama Rao emphasised that while both vice-presidential candidates are respected figures, the absence of a NOTA option compels the party to abstain as a form of protest.
The combined abstentions, albeit from parties with limited parliamentary presence, effectively reduce the pool of active voters, thereby consolidating the NDA’s advantage. Analysts note that while these moves may not determine the outcome, they are likely to contribute to widening the margin for the NDA’s nominee.
This election is the first mid-term vice-presidential poll since 1987. Jagdeep Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation triggered the process, bringing into sharper focus the significance of every vote in a relatively tight contest between the NDA and the INDIA bloc.
The parliamentary voting continues under a secret ballot system. Mock polling sessions were held in both camps to ensure MPs understand the single transferable vote system and avoid miscast ballots. Prime Minister Modi emphasised precision in voting among NDA members, while opposition leaders urged MPs to exercise their conscience.
As the session unfolds, the abstentions by BJD and BRS are seen as tactical moves that favour the NDA’s position. Their decisions reflect regional considerations—the BJD’s emphasis on strategic neutrality for Odisha, and the BRS’s sought expression of farmers’ grievances in Telangana—even as national-level calculations continue to shape the vice-presidential contest.
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