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National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Vice Presidential candidate CP Radhakrishan has appointed Telegu Desam Party leader and Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, along with Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha as his polling agents for the upcoming elections on Tuesday.
Both the TDP and JD(U), both NDA alliance partners, have earlier expressed support for Radkhakrishan. The Vice Presidential election is scheduled to be held today, with the voting to begin before noon. The counting of votes will also take place in the evening today. Radkhakrishan will be facing off against retired Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy, who has been named as the joint opposition candidate for the Vice President's post. However, numbers favour Radhakrishan, as he is expected to receive around 427 votes, well above the majority mark of 391. In contrast, the INDIA bloc hopes for cross voting to defeat the NDA candidate. INDIA bloc candidate B Sudhershan Reddy is backed by 354 MPs, with 249 in the Lower House and 105 in the Upper House. Earlier today, the NDA candidate offered prayers at Shree Ram Mandir in Delhi's Lodhi Road, and expressed confidence in winning the elections, saying that it will be a "big victory for Indian nationalism." "The elections are taking place. It is going to be a big victory for Indian nationalism. We are all one, we will be one and we want India to become 'Viksit Bharat'," the NDA nominee told reporters. In the Lok Sabha, Radhakrishnan is expected to receive 293 votes and 134 votes are likely to be cast in his favour in the Rajya Sabha. Currently, the Parliament comprises 781 members, including 542 in the Lok Sabha with one seat vacant and 239 in the Rajya Sabha with five seats vacant. Between just the Bharatiya Janata Party, TDP, and JD(U), Radkhakrishan is expected to receive a total of 278 votes from Lok Sabha, and 108 in Rajya Sabha. Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have decided to abstain from the Vice Presidential elections.Meanwhile, the BJP MPs have expressed confidence in CP Radhakrishnan's win. BJP MP Ananta Nayak said the NDA candidate will win the poll as the alliance has a bigger number than the Opposition. (ANI)
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