"14% increase in votes secured by B Sudershan Reddy compared to last candidate": Congress' Imraan Masood on VP elections

New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): Following Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy defeat in the Vice Presidential election, Congress MP Imraan Masood on Tuesday remained positive, saying that Reddy secured 14 per cent more votes in the polls compared to the previous opposition candidate.
Speaking to ANI, Masood claimed that the Opposition is gaining strength despite NDA-backed CP Radhakrishnan's victory as the 15th Vice President of India.
Speaking to ANI, Imraan Masood said, "There has been a 14% increase in votes secured by this candidate (Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy) as compared to the last candidate. This candidate received 40% of the total votes, compared to 26% secured by the previous candidate. So the Opposition is only gaining; there will be a change...They (NDA) could not cause a significant dent..."
National Democratic Alliance-backed CP Radhakrishnan was elected as the 15th Vice President on Tuesday.
Radhakrishnan defeated the INDIA bloc nominee Justice B Sudershan Reddy by 152 votes in the Vice Presidential elections held between 10 am and 5 pm on Tuesday.
A total of 98.20 per cent voter turnout was found in the Vice Presidential elections, wherein 767 MPs cast their vote out of 781.
NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan received 452 first preference votes, whereas the INDIA bloc candidate Justice B Sudershan Reddy received 300 first preference votes. Fifteen votes were considered invalid.
"NDA nominee and Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan got 452 first preference votes. He has been elected as the Vice President of India... Opposition's vice-presidential candidate Justice Sudershan Reddy secured 300 first preference votes," Rajya Sabha general secretary PC Mody said in his press conference.
A total of 13 MPs abstained from voting in the Vice Presidential elections. The list includes seven MPs from Biju Janata Dal, four from Bharath Rashtra Samithi, one MP from Shiromani Akali Dal and one independent MP.
Earlier today, top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and others, cast their vote in the Vice Presidential elections.
The Vice President's seat has been vacant since July 21, 2025, as Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his position, citing health reasons.
Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, who was serving as the 24th Governor of Maharashtra from July 31, 2024, before being announced as the NDA's Vice Presidential nominee.
He previously served as the Governor of Jharkhand from February 2023 to July 2024. He also held additional charge as the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry between March and July 2024. (ANI)