BJP a use-and-throw party...did it with last Vice President too: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on V-P polls

New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): Amid the ongoing Vice Presidential elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) of being a "use-and-throw" party with their leaders, claiming they allegedly did the "same thing" with "missing" former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar.
He said that while the NDA might have the numbers to secure a victory, the voting for this election should be done "on the basis of one's conscience."
"Numbers are fine but this voting is done on the basis of one's conscience. The entire country knows that the BJP is a use-and-throw party. The same thing happened with the Vice President, who is missing...The numbers will be in our favour," the SP chief told ANI.
The Vice-Presidential election is seeing a direct contest between the Opposition parties and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). While the BJP has fielded Maharashtra Governor XCP Radhakrishnan, the Opposition has nominated former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy.
Another SP MP Rajeev Rai, appealed to NDA leaders to "protect the Constitution" and go away from the party line.
"I appeal to our colleagues in the NDA, that this is their last chance - whether they support someone who believes in and safeguards the Constitution or support someone else who supports those who favour one particular ideology and spread hatred. They should vote for someone who protects the Constitution and make the INDIA alliance candidate win," Rai told ANI.
Both the candidates have expressed confidence in winning the elections. Earlier Radhakrishnan went to offer prayers at Delhi's Shree Ram Mandir in Lodhi Road.
"It is going to be a big victory for Indian nationalism. We are all one, we will be one and we want India to become 'Viksit Bharat'," the NDA nominee told reporters," the NDA nominee told reporters.
Meanwhile, former SC judge B Sudershan Reddy has expressed that he will continue to "continue fight for the Constitution."
"This is a fight for (the Constitution), it will continue. My journey has begun with the Constitution," he said.
"I am only trying to awaken people's conscience. I did not say that there would be cross-voting. I don't know what cross-voting is," he added.
The voting for the 15th Vice Presidential election began on Tuesday morning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi exercising his franchise along with other prominent ministers and MPs. The counting of votes will also take place in the evening today. PM Modi was the first to cast his vote.
The election comes 50 days after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post as the Vice President on July 21, citing health reasons.
It seems that NDA's candidate CP Radhakrishnan has an edge with 427 MPs, well above the majority mark of 391, supporting him for the post. In the Lok Sabha, Radhakrishnan is expected to receive 293 votes, and 134 votes are likely to be cast in his favour in the Rajya Sabha.
Currently, the Parliament comprises 781 members, including 542 in the Lok Sabha with one seat vacant and 239 in the Rajya Sabha with five seats vacant.Biju Janata Dal (BJD) decided to abstain from voting in the Vice Presidential elections. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) from Punjab has also announced they are 'boycotting' the elections. (ANI)