AAP on Wednesday ended suspense on who it will support in the Vice-Presidential election by pledging support to joint Opposition candidate Margaret Alva even as BSP decided to support her rival NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankar keeping in mind larger public interest and the party's movement.
While JMM, which had broken ranks with the Opposition in the Presidential election to vote for NDA candidate Dropadi Murmu, too announced its support, there is still speculation on what stand H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) would take. JD(S), which has two MPs, has supported Murmu and is likely to vote for Dhankar. TDP also announced support for Dhankar.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP's decision came after a meeting of its Political Affairs Committee in the evening following which senior leader Sanjay Singh announced that they will support the veteran leader.
"The AAP unanimously decided to support Opposition candidate Margaret Alva. All our Rajya Sabha MPs will vote for Alva in the August 6 election," Singh told reporters after the meeting. AAP has ten Rajya Sabha MPs who are eligible to vote.
AAP did not participate in the meeting on choosing the joint Opposition candidate for either the Presidential or Vice-Presidential election. AAP had separately announced support for Yashwant Sinha, the joint Opposition candidate for Presidential elections.
BSP decided to support Dhankar and the announcement was made by party chief Mayawati on Twitter. BSP had supported Murmu in the Presidential election.
“It is well known that due to the lack of consensus between the government and the Opposition in the Presidential election, voting had to be done. Now a similar situation exists for the election of Vice-President,” she said.
“"Keeping in mind the larger public interest and the party movement, the BSP has decided to support Jagdeep Dhankhar in the vice-presidential poll," Mayawati said.
With the ruling BJP-led NDA having adequate numbers in the electoral college of 780 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, Dhankar’s victory is a foregone conclusion but the Opposition has fielded Alva to make the electoral fight an ideological one.
Dhankar could get a minimum of 494 and it could go up to 539 votes if parties like YSR Congress, BSP, JD(S) and Akali Dal too vote. Alva is likely to get 205.