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Voting for vice presidential election ends with 98% turnout

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August 05, 2017

Nearly 97 per cent of the members of Parliament exercised their franchise till 3 pm in the vice presidential poll in New Delhi today.

Assistant Returning Officer Mukul Pandey told reporters that 96.94 per cent (761 out of 785) members eligible to cast vote have exercised their franchise till 3 pm.

NDA’s M Venkaiah Naidu is pitted against opposition candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

The strength of the electoral college comprising both elected and nominated MPs of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha is 790.

Naidu today said he is now a ‘non-party man’ and exuded confidence in getting support from MPs casting their vote.

“There is no my party or your party. Now I am a non-party man. Majority of political parties in India are supporting my candidature. I am confident that they will all vote in the election,” he told reporters.

Naidu said he is known to all his MPs in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

“That is why I am not campaigning also or canvassing also. I have written a polite letter to everybody. The response is very good. People are appreciative of my letter. I am confident they will all support me,” he said.

“I don’t want to make any comments against anybody. I am not contesting against any body. I am contesting for the vice-president of India nominated by a number of political parties. My contest is not against any individual or any party,” Naidu said.

He said it is better to avoid talking of politics on this election as this was not a party election but for the ‘august post of vice-president of India’.

Naidu, who is a Rajya Sabha member, also cast his vote.

The opposition’s candidate Gandhi said the most important issue before the country is of social cohesion and growing intolerance.(Agencies)

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