NDA's Radhakrishnan Elected Vice President Amidst Allegations of Cross-Voting

NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan wins Vice Presidential election, defeating INDIA bloc's Justice B Sudershan Reddy by 152 votes. Allegations of cross-voting by opposition MPs raise concerns of democracy and constitutional integrity. Congress calls for an investigation amidst speculations and claims by ruling parties.

NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan emerged victorious in the Vice Presidential election, defeating opposition candidate Justice B Sudershan Reddy by 152 votes. Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala commented that election victories are not the ultimate goal; rather, protecting democracy and the constitution is the agenda. Chamala emphasized the opposition's unity in the INDIA alliance.

Despite lacking numbers, Chamala noted the INDIA bloc's efforts to garner support for Reddy, who received significant backing across the country. Concerns over probable cross-voting by INDIA bloc MPs have been raised, prompting Congress MP Manish Tewari to call for a systematic investigation to address these allegations.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju acknowledged the allegations, attributing cross-voting to MPs voting with 'conscience.' BJP General Secretary BL Santhosh highlighted the opposition's campaign for a conscience vote as having backfired, contributing to Radhakrishnan's success. The Vice President's position had been vacant since July 2025, with Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation.

(With inputs from agencies.)