Jagdeep Dhankhar elected 14th vice-president

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates the Vice-President-elect Jagdeep Dhankar, in New Delhi on Saturday
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates the Vice-President-elect Jagdeep Dhankar, in New Delhi on Saturday

Highlights

National Democratic Alliance candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar was elected as the 14th vice-president of India on Saturday as he defeated the Opposition's candidate Margaret Alva.

New Delhi: National Democratic Alliance candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar was elected as the 14th vice-president of India on Saturday as he defeated the Opposition's candidate Margaret Alva. Dhankhar, a former governor of West Bengal, secured 528 votes against Alva's 182. His victory margin was the highest since 1997.

Wishes poured in from various quarters after the election result was announced with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Alva congratulating Dhankhar. The nation will benefit from Dhankhar's long and rich experience in public life, the president tweeted.

Dhankhar, 71, will take oath as the vice president on August 11, a day after incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu's tenure ends. He will be the second vice president from Rajasthan after Bhairon Singh Shekhawat who held the office between 2002 and 2007. With Dhankhar's election, the presiding officers of both Houses of Parliament will be from Rajasthan.

The vice-president is the chairperson of Rajya Sabha. Currently, Om Birla who was elected to Lok Sabha from Rajasthan's Kota is the Lok Sabha speaker. The numbers were stacked in favour of Dhankhar as the ruling BJP enjoys an absolute majority in Lok Sabha and has 91 members in Rajya Sabha.

The BJP heads the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Even before the results were announced, celebrations had started outside the residence of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi where Dhankhar was present.

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