NDA nominee M Venkaiah Naidu was Saturday elected as the next Vice President of India by securing over two-thirds of votes leaving opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi far behind.

Naidu got 516 votes out of total 771 votes cast while Gandhi could only manage 244 votes. Of the total 771 votes polled, 11 were found to be invalid.

Although 785 MPs are there in both the Houses of Parliament, 14 MPs could not vote.

“Coming from an agricultural background, I never imagined I would be here. Agriculture has no proper voice in Indian polity,” India’s vice president-elect said. 

“I am very humbled. I am also thankful to the Prime Minister and all party leaders for their support. I will seek to utilise the vice presidential institution to strengthen the hands of the president and secondly uphold the dignity of the Upper House,” he added.

Naidu will be the 13th person to hold the second highest Constitutional post.

The strength of the electoral college comprising both elected and nominated MPs of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha is 790.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has congratulated M. Venkaiah Naidu on getting elected as the 15th Vice President of the country.

In her congratulatory message to Naidu, the Chief Minister said his win marks the victory of common masses of the country whose struggle and aspirations Naidu represented all his political life.

Wishing him well for his tenure, Mehbooba Mufti hoped that as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha also, Naidu would take the proceedings of the House to new heights of propriety, consensus and respect for each other’s point of view, given the stature he has been carrying.

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