Indus Valley Times

NEW DELHI, AUG 6: NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar has been elected India’s 14th Vice President on Saturday. He secured 528 votes. Opposition pick Margaret Alva who got 182 votes has lost.

Described as ‘Kisan-Putra (farmer’s son)’ by the BJP, Dhankhar had said that he had never thought that a person like him with a modest background” would get the opportunity to serve as the second highest Constitutional post.

“I was born in a farmer’s family. I had to walk around 6km to my school,” said Dhankhar, who recently quit as West Bengal Governor.

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

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

The Trinamool Congress, which has 39 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, had 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.