Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday seemed to take a low-key swipe at the opposition over reports of cross-voting by INDIA bloc MPs in the just-concluded Vice Presidential election, where NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan won.
Rijiju claimed that the NDA and "all our friendly MPs" were solid as a rock.
"Special thanks to some MPs of- INDI Alliance who voted with 'Conscience' for NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan in the VP election. NDA and All our friendly MPs remain united. Congratulations to everyone on electing a humble & efficient man and a true patriot as India's new Vice President," Rijiju posted on X.
In the meantime, BJP General Secretary BL Santhosh pointed out that the INDIA bloc candidate had 15 votes short of their total number. "Voting happened through ballot papers & INDI Alliance got 15 votes less than their number. The INDI alliance leaders had campaigned for conscience vote. They got it in return," Santhosh posted on X.
Earlier, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has termed opposition performance in the Vice Presidential election as "respectable," underlining that its common candidate, Justice B Sudershan Reddy (retd), got 40% of the votes.
This was compared with the Vice Presidential elections in 2022, when opposition percentage was at 26%.
"The Opposition stood united for the Vice Presidential election. Its performance has undeniably been most respectable. Its joint candidate Justice (retd) B. Sudershan Reddy secured 40% of the vote. In 2022, the Opposition had received 26% of the vote in the Vice Presidential elections," Ramesh said in a post on X.
"The BJP's arithmetical victory is really both a moral and political defeat. The ideological battle continues undiminished," he added.
CP Radhakrishnan defeated INDIA bloc candidate Justice B Sudershan Reddy by 152 votes in the Vice Presidential election. CP Radhakrishnan got 452 first preference votes, whereas Justice Reddy got 300 first preference votes. Fifteen votes were rejected.
"NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan got 452 first preference votes. He has been elected as the Vice President of India...Justice Sudershan Reddy secured 300 first preference votes," Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody said at a press conference.
The office of the Vice President had remained vacant since July 21, 2025, after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned citing reasons of health.
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