MPs who voted for NDA’s VP candidate have voted in national interest: BJP's Ghulam Ali Khatana

New Delhi, Sep 9 As the Vice Presidential election is underway, BJP MP Ghulam Ali Khatana on Tuesday stated that MPs who voted for the NDA candidate, C.P. Radhakrishnan, have acted in the national interest.

Speaking to IANS, Ghulam Ali Khatana said, “The MPs have voted for NDA's candidate Radhakrishnan. They have voted in the interest of the country. We hope that in Parliament, there will be discussions, Zero Hour, Debate Hour, and MPs will be empowered. Radhakrishnan has the experience and the patience to listen. Leaders who work in the interest of the country will benefit from his leadership.”

He added, “We expect that the INDIA Bloc leaders who work in the interest of the country will also vote for us.”

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey expressed confidence in the Opposition's chances, claiming that the numbers appear to favour the INDIA Bloc.

The election for the 15th Vice President comes just two months after the unexpected resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar. Members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are currently voting to choose between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, CP Radhakrishnan, and the INDIA Bloc’s nominee, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy.

As voting continues in the Vice Presidential election, political rhetoric has intensified, with parties on both sides expressing confidence and trading sharp jabs. While the ruling NDA claims to have a clear path to victory, opposition leaders are rallying behind their candidate and hoping for cross-party support.

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, speaking to IANS, strongly criticised the opposition's outreach strategy.

“The NDA wanted the Vice Presidential election to be held unanimously, but the opposition was not ready. Their candidate, B. Sudershan Reddy, is seeking blessings from Lalu Yadav, a person who doesn’t even have the right to vote. He could have met Tejashwi Yadav or Manoj Jha, but instead chose to meet someone not even part of the voting process. This reflects the mindset of the opposition. NDA will definitely win today,” he asserted.

While the VP election is not expected to produce any major surprises, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, which backs CP Radhakrishnan, has the numerical advantage. However, the INDIA Bloc, joined by several other opposition parties, aims to give a strong fight.

The ruling NDA has nominated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan for the country’s second-highest constitutional post, while the opposition bloc has put forward former Supreme Court judge Sudershan Reddy.

Radhakrishnan, a BJP veteran, has served as a two-time MP from Coimbatore during the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He also served as the Governor of Jharkhand before assuming office as the Governor of Maharashtra in July 2024.

Sudershan Reddy, a respected jurist known for several landmark judgments, served as a Supreme Court judge from 2007 until his retirement in 2011. He was also appointed the first Lokayukta of Goa but resigned within seven months, citing personal reasons. He is also known for declaring the Salwa Judum—an anti-Naxal civilian militia created by the Chhattisgarh government—as unconstitutional.

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