![[Watch] Voting For Vice President Post Continues, PM Modi First One To Cast His Franchise](https://assets.odishabytes.com/wp-content/uploads/odishabytes-logo-25.svg){kind=logo}
New Delhi: Voting for the Vice President election began on Tuesday (September 9) at 10 am in the new Parliament building. Prime Minister Nardendra Modi was the first to cast his vote. The voting will continue until 5 pm, with counting of votes scheduled to start at 6 pm and results expected later in the evening. The election is being conducted through secret ballot, with members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha casting their votes. While MPs are not bound by a party whip, both the NDA and INDIA bloc briefed their members to ensure valid voting. The INDIA bloc even held a mock polling exercise to remind MPs to mark only “1” against their preferred candidate to avoid rejection of votes.
Voted in the 2025 Vice President election. pic.twitter.com/soCoJJmHSI
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2025
#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote for the Vice Presidential election at the Parliament House this morning.
(Video: DD News) pic.twitter.com/3cxQJNJSrm
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2025
The electoral college currently has an effective strength of 781 MPs, including 543 from Lok Sabha, 233 from Rajya Sabha and 12 nominated members, with a majority mark of 391 needed to win. However, with abstentions announced by the Biju Janata Dal, Bharat Rashtra Samithi and Shiromani Akali Dal along with two independent MPs, the contesting vote strength has reduced, bringing down the effective majority mark to 384.
#WATCH | Delhi | Congress MP Shashi Tharoor arrives at the Parliament House to cast his vote for the Vice Presidential election.
(Source: Sansad TV) pic.twitter.com/MKs7TsEmw2
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2025
#WATCH | Delhi | Union Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda arrives at the Parliament House to cast his vote for the Vice Presidential election.
(Source: Sansad TV) pic.twitter.com/efTgjk6rmZ
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2025
#WATCH | Delhi | Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrives at the Parliament House to cast her vote for the Vice Presidential election.
(Source: Sansad TV) pic.twitter.com/T63dJCvDxE
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2025
CP Radhakrishnan Vs Sudarshan Reddy
The NDA has fielded CP Radhakrishnan, 68, the Governor of Maharashtra and a two-time Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu. He is seen as a soft-spoken leader with strong RSS roots. The INDIA bloc has nominated 79-year-old former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy, known for his landmark judgments, including striking down Salwa Judum.
#WATCH | Delhi | Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi arrives at the Parliament House to cast his vote for the Vice Presidential election.
(Source: Sansad TV) pic.twitter.com/3SitqvaDgS
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2025
NDA confident of victory
The NDA is confident of victory, with support of around 425 to 429 MPs, including backing from the YSR Congress Party’s 11 MPs. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “We are very confident that we will win with thumping majority. There is grave discontent within the Congress over their candidate.” BJP MP Anurag Thakur added, “Wait for the results… the candidate nominated by the BJP-NDA will win with a full majority.” BJP leader PP Chaudhary claimed that many INDIA bloc MPs may cross-vote in favour of CP Radhakrishnan. Radhakrishnan himself said, “It is going to be a big victory for Indian nationalism. We are all one, we will be one.”
What’s the position of INDIA Bloc?
The INDIA bloc, which has the support of around 324 MPs, is relying on moral appeal and hoping for some cross-voting. Their nominee Sudarshan Reddy expressed confidence, saying, “I am very confident. We are going to win… I am trying to awaken people’s conscience. I did not say there would be cross-voting.” Congress leader Imran Masood called it “an election to save the soul of the nation” and said he was hopeful of victory. NCP-SCP leader Supriya Sule urged MPs to choose a candidate who “upholds national interest.”
BJD, a few other parties skip voting
The abstentions are politically significant. BRS announced its boycott over the alleged urea shortage in Telangana, with party leader K T Rama Rao declaring that MPs would not take part. The SAD also chose to stay away, citing dissatisfaction over flood relief in Punjab, while BJD too decided not to participate.
The outcome of the election will decide who will succeed Jagdeep Dhankhar as the Vice President. With the NDA enjoying a clear numerical edge, CP Radhakrishnan appears poised to secure the post, though the INDIA bloc insists the battle is about conscience and constitutional values. The final result will be declared later this evening once the counting concludes.
