New Delhi: The stage is set for a high-stakes face-off in the upcoming Vice-Presidential election, with the ruling NDA fielding veteran BJP leader and former Governor CP Radhakrishnan against the Opposition INDIA bloc’s candidate, former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy.

The contest, scheduled for Tuesday, is being seen as a direct battle between the two major political alliances ahead of the next round of national politics.

Polling will be held in Parliament House between 10 am and 5 pm, with Members of Parliament casting their votes through a secret ballot. Counting will commence at 6 pm, and the results are expected to be declared the same evening, paving the way for the swearing-in of the country’s new Vice-President.

The electoral college for the Vice-Presidential election comprises 781 MPs (238 from Rajya Sabha and 542 from Lok Sabha; one Lok Sabha and six Rajya Sabha seats are currently vacant). The majority mark is 391.

The NDA commands 427 MPs and also has the support of the YSR Congress Party (11 MPs), taking its tally to 436. The Opposition INDIA bloc is backed by 320 MPs. Although the NDA is expected to win, the margin will likely be narrower than in 2022, when Jagdeep Dhankhar defeated Margaret Alva by 346 votes. Political analysts say the difference this time could be 100–125 votes.

Meanwhile, the stance of some independents and smaller parties remains uncertain. Three of the seven independents in the Lok Sabha have yet to declare their choice, while parties like the Shiromani Akali Dal, ZPM, and VOTTP, with one MP each, have not clarified their position. The election will be conducted through a secret ballot, with MPs free to vote as they wish since no party whip applies. However, votes typically align with party lines, though crossvoting has occurred in previous elections.

Ballot papers will carry both candidates’ names. MPs must mark their choice by writing ‘1’ next to their preferred candidate, using Indian numerals, Roman numerals, or numerals from any Indian language—but not in words. To avoid invalid votes, both alliances have held mock polls and training sessions for their MPs.

NDA’s Radhakrishnan (67), a BJP veteran from Tamil Nadu, is a two-time Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government. He is being projected as an experienced and untainted leader suited to preside over the Rajya Sabha. Challenging him is B Sudarshan Reddy (79), INDIA bloc’s nominee and a retired Supreme Court judge from Telangana.