New Delhi: Jagdeep Dhankar, the NDA candidate, became the 14th Vice President of India on Saturday, beating Opposition fielded Margaret Alva, PTI reported.
A former governor of West Bengal, Dhankar, won 528 votes against Alva's 182. Since the ruling BJP enjoys an absolute majority in Lok Sabha and has 91 members in Rajya Sabha, the lead was easy for him.
Even before the results were announced, celebrations had started outside the residence of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, where Dhankhar was present.
Celebrations started even before the results were published. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Dhankhar and congratulated him shortly after the publishing of the results.
The 71-yr-old newly elected Vice President will take office on August 11 after M Venkaiah Naidu's term ends on 10.
According to officials, 725 MPs cast their votes, that is 92.94 per cent of the total votes, while 15 votes went invalid. Even the nominated MPs could vote in the VP polls.
Though the electoral college is 788 members, eight seats in Rajya Sabha are vacant, and the strength is 780. The Trinamool Congress had abstained from voting, saying that the party was not consulted before naming Alva as the Opposition's candidate. The party has 36 MPs, but two of them-- Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari -- cast votes.
However, the polling was lower this time against the 98.2 per cent in 2017, the last VP polls.