PM Modi, Amit Shah congratulate CP Radhakrishnan on vice president election triumph

Key leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president J.P. Nadda visited Vice President-elect C.P. Radhakrishnan in Delhi and congratulated him on his election victory.

The prime minister was accompanied by the party president and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several other senior leaders of the ruling party met Radhakrishnan on Tuesday and extended wishes on his win in the 17th vice president election.

 Radhakrishnan, currently serving as governor of Maharashtra, won against Opposition INDIA bloc's B. Sudershan Reddy by gaining 452 votes. Reddy, a former judge of the Supreme Court, was the Opposition's joint candidate and gained 300 votes. 

Surprisingly, Radhakrishnan gained 25 votes more than the NDA's tally in the crucial contest, suggesting cross-voting. The MPs are not bound by party whips to vote in the vice presidential election, which takes place under a secret ballot system.

The electoral college for vice president election comprises members from the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, and the current strength of the electoral college is 781, as six seats are vacant in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha. The winning candidate must gain a majority of 391 votes. The NDA has 425 MPs, while the opposition camp has the backing of 324.