VP poll: Of 780 MPs, 725 cast vote; Dhankhar frontrunner

Around 93 per cent polling was recorded in the vice presidential election on Saturday, with more than 50 MPs not exercising their franchise.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi casts his vote for vice presidential poll at Parliament House in New Delhi. Photograph: @narendramodi/Twitter

Officials said of the total 780 MPs, as many as 725 MPs voted till 5 pm when the polling concluded.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh cast their ballots early in the day, while opposition leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi voted a little after noon, the officials said.

IMAGE: Opposition's vice presidential candidate Margaret Alva during the election. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

The Trinamool Congress, which has 39 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, has already announced its decision to abstain from the election.

However, two of its MPs -- Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari -- broke ranks and cast their ballots.

IMAGE: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh casts his vote at Parliament House. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo

Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am, with Modi being among the first ones to vote.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in a wheelchair and needed support to stand up and vote.

Communist Party of India-Marxist MP John Brittas was among those who helped the veteran leader in exercising his franchise.

The two-term former prime minister greeted those present with folded hands.

IMAGE: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi casts her vote . Photograph: Sanjay Sharma/ANI Photo

Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president J P Nadda, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Commerce Minister and Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal were among the leaders who turned up early at the Parliament House.

IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah casts his vote. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo

Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi, who has contracted COVID-19, voted wearing a PPE kit.

"Satisfied that I could perform my duties as a third term parliamentarian in the #VP elections, even if in extraterrestrial attire!" he tweeted.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi casts his vote for the Vice Presidential election. Photograph: Sanjay Sharma/ANI Photo

While two BJP MPs -- Sunny Deol and Sanjay Dhotre -- did not vote, among the prominent opposition MPs who were absent during voting included Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shafiqur Rahman Barq (both Samajwadi Party).

IMAGE: Rajya Sabha MP PT Usha arrives to cast her vote. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

The counting of votes began at 6 pm.

With the ruling BJP having an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha and 91 members in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar has a clear edge over his rival. He is likely to succeed incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu, whose tenure ends on August 10.

IMAGE: Union Ministers Anupriya Patel, Darshana Jardosh and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti along with other MPs arrive to cast their vote for the election of the Vice President, at Parliament House in New Delhi. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election.

IMAGE: DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran arrives to cast his vote. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo

The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.