The polls for the Vice Presidential election will be open from 10 AM to 5 PM on Tuesday. The key showdown is between NDA's candidate CP Radhakrishnan and the 'India' block's nominee B. Sudarshan Reddy. With BJD, BRS, and Akali Dal deciding to abstain just ahead of the voting, the battle has taken an intriguing turn.
Members of both houses of Parliament—the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha—will participate in the voting for Vice President. In terms of the 'number game,' Radhakrishnan holds an advantage, but the 'India' block's strategic nomination of B. Sudarshan aims to unite the opposition.
Significantly, three opposition parties—BJD, BRS, and Akali Dal, which together command 14 MPs—have chosen to abstain. This move prompts immediate questions: who will it affect most, and whose strategy will falter?
BJD, BRS, and Akali Dal Hold Back from Voting
The Vice Presidential race sees Odisha's former CM Naveen Patnaik's BJD and Telangana's former CM KCR's BRS, joined by Punjab's Shiromani Akali Dal, distancing themselves from the contest. They declared neutrality, not backing either NDA's Radhakrishnan or the 'India' Block's Sudarshan Reddy, which is expected to shift the voting dynamics.
The BRS includes 4 Rajya Sabha MPs, while BJD has 7 Rajya Sabha MPs, and Shiromani Akali Dal includes 1 from Lok Sabha and 2 from Rajya Sabha. These parties have instructed their MPs to stay out of the election process.
Political Implications of the Trio's Distance
1.
Combined, the BJD, BRS, and Akali Dal command 14 members. Currently, there are 542 MPs in Lok Sabha and 239 in Rajya Sabha, adding up to 781 MPs, which means at least 391 votes are needed to secure victory.
2.
With these three parties opting out, the 'number game' sees its first impact. The total number of voting MPs now stands at 767, reducing the victory threshold to 384 votes.
3.
Although part of the opposition, for the past 11 years, these factions have maintained a proximity to the government. They've supported Modi's regime during various challenges. Akali Dal has historically been part of the NDA, while BJD and BRS have extended support despite not being in the coalition.
4.
In the 2022 Vice Presidential election as well, they backed NDA's Jagdeep Dhankhar. Their abstention this year will influence NDA's margin, while it also could be a political setback for the opposition.
5.
Congress, having fielded former Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy—a non-political figure—managed to earn the endorsements of Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal. However, it failed to consolidate the entire opposition. The decision of BJD, BRS, and Akali Dal to distance themselves demonstrates a lingering separation from Congress.
6.
In terms of numbers, NDA boasts support from 425 MPs from both houses. YSRCP has also endorsed Radhakrishnan, boosting NDA's vote count to 436. By all indications, NDA's candidate is poised for victory, while opposition candidate B. Sudarshan Reddy is backed by 324 votes, showcasing a clear gap of 112 votes needed for success.
Independents, totaling seven MPs, as yet haven't committed support. Meanwhile, representatives from ZPM and AAP, including Swati Maliwal, have kept their strategies under wraps. Presidential and Vice Presidential elections do not involve party symbols, thus a whip is not enforced, exempting dessenting MPs from anti-defection repercussions, negating membership risk for cross-voting.
