New Delhi: UPA nominee Hamid Ansari appears set for a second term as Vice President, as all indications are that he will emerge as clear winner against the NDA's Jaswant Singh in a direct contest for the post on Tuesday.
Ansari has the backing of the UPA and its allies, as well as a number of other parties including the Left. He is reportedly confident of winning at least 500 votes.
A total of 788 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs are eligible to vote in the poll to elect the 14th Vice President.
Unlike the Presidential poll held last month, which saw a split in the NDA with the JD(U) and the Shiv Sena breaking ranks to vote for UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee, Jaswant Singh has the backing of a united NDA for his Vice Presidential bid.
The BJP has 114 members in the Lok Sabha and 49 in Rajya Sabha; the JD(U) 20 and nine; the Shiv Sena 11 and four; and the Shiromani Akali Dal four and three respectively.
Senior Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) President L. K. Advani (C) gestures after casting his vote during the election for Vice President, at the Parliament in New Delhi on August 7, 2012. Polling for the vice-presidential election began August 7 in which UPA candidate Hamid Ansari appears set to fend off the contest put up by NDA nominee Jaswant Singh. A total of 788 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, including nominated members, are eligible to vote in the poll to elect the 14th vice-president.
Congress General Secretary and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi (2L) and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (L) watch as Congress Party President and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government Chairperson Sonia Gandhi (3L) casts her vote during the election for Vice President, at the Parliament in New Delhi on August 7, 2012. Polling for the vice-presidential election began August 7 in which UPA candidate Hamid Ansari appears set to fend off the contest put up by NDA nominee Jaswant Singh. A total of 788 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, including nominated members, are eligible to vote in the poll to elect the 14th vice-president.
New Delhi: Polling today began on a brisk note for the Vice Presidential election in which UPA candidate Hamid Ansari appears set to fend off the contest put up by NDA nominee Jaswant Singh.
A total of 788 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, including nominated members, are eligible to vote in the poll to elect the 14th Vice President.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives to cast his vote during the election for Vice President, at the Parliament in New Delhi on August 7, 2012. Polling for the vice-presidential election began August 7 in which UPA candidate Hamid Ansari appears set to fend off the contest put up by NDA nominee Jaswant Singh. A total of 788 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, including nominated members, are eligible to vote in the poll to elect the 14th vice-president.
Congress General Secretary and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi (L), Congress Party President and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government Chairperson Sonia Gandhi (3L), and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2L) arrive to cast their votes during the election for Vice President, at the Parliament in New Delhi on August 7, 2012. Polling for the vice-presidential election began August 7 in which UPA candidate Hamid Ansari appears set to fend off the contest put up by NDA nominee Jaswant Singh. A total of 788 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, including nominated members, are eligible to vote in the poll to elect the 14th vice-president.
