Members of Parliament cast their votes this morning, officially starting the race for India’s next Vice President. The fight between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc is sure to be very interesting. The polls began at 10 a.m. and will stay open until 5 p.m. The votes will likely be counted later that night. Who takes over for Jagdeep Dhankhar, whose term ends this year, will depend on the result.
In the race, CP Radhakrishnan, the BJP’s candidate and current Governor of Jharkhand, is up against Justice Sudershan (Retd.), who is the INDIA alliance’s consensus choice.
What’s at Stake for the BJP
The BJP is confident going into the election because it has a large majority in the Lok Sabha and a lot of power in the Rajya Sabha. Many people in the party admire CP Radhakrishnan, a veteran politician from Tamil Nadu who has been an MP twice and is known for being good at organizing things and having been with the RSS for a long time. If he wins, he will be expected to lead the Rajya Sabha in the same way that the present Vice President does: with confidence but without losing balance.
It’s not just about numbers for the BJP to keep the Vice Presidency. It also shows that things are stable at the top of Parliament, which is important at a time when talks in the legislature have become more divisive.
The Bet of the INDIA Bloc
The INDIA alliance, on the other hand, is behind Justice Sudershan, a former Supreme Court judge who is known for being honest and free. Leaders of the opposition say that picking a candidate with experience in the court system will make Parliament’s political checks and balances stronger.
The INDIA bloc has fewer MPs than its regional partners and independents, but it has been working hard to close the gap by getting independent MPs and MPs from other regions to join it. The opposition has been trying to challenge the BJP’s dominance before important state elections later this year. A good showing in this election would give them a much-needed morale boost.
What Will Be Possible?
The math points to CP Radhakrishnan as the winner, but the race stays interesting because the ballot is secret and people can vote for more than one candidate. In past Vice Presidential elections, candidates backed by the opposition have sometimes gotten more votes than expected. This shows how unpredictable these kinds of polls can be.
India will know by this evening who will be the 15th Vice President after Jagdeep Dhankhar. Whether it is CP Radhakrishnan, a supporter of the BJP, or Justice Sudershan, of the INDIA bloc, the outcome will be a major political symbol that shows how Parliament is feeling right now and how strong alliances are in India’s democracy.
