The Vice-Presidential election on Tuesday saw a clear victory for NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan, though the result was clouded by allegations of cross-voting and invalid ballots.
Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes, defeating INDIA bloc nominee B Sudhershan Reddy by 152 votes. Out of 781 eligible MPs, 767 cast their votes, with 752 declared valid.
While opposition leaders initially claimed that all 315 of their MPs had participated, Reddy received only 300 votes, prompting speculation that at least 15 INDIA bloc MPs either switched sides or deliberately invalidated their ballots.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described the 40% vote share as a “moral victory,” highlighting it as a 14% increase from 2022, when NDA’s Jagdeep Dhankhar defeated Margaret Alva. The BJP, however, dismissed the claim, pointing to the discrepancy in numbers. Party leaders alleged that several opposition MPs voted for the NDA candidate or spoiled their ballots.
Congress MP Nasir Hussain clarified that of the 15 invalid votes, 12 came from the opposition and 3 from the NDA, suggesting the INDIA bloc’s cross-vote tally could be even higher.
Despite the controversy, the election witnessed near-full participation, with MPs turning out in large numbers. Radhakrishnan’s win further strengthens the NDA’s grip on the country’s second-highest constitutional office, following the presidency.