NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar was elected as the 14th Vice President of India on Saturday as he defeated joint Opposition candidate Margaret Alva.
Dhankhar, a former governor of West Bengal, secured 528 votes while Alva got 182.
As many as 725 MPs cast their votes in the poll, which is 92.94 per cent of total votes, LS Gen-Secy Utpal K Singh said, adding 15 votes were declared invalid.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Union Home Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and many others congratulated Dhankhar after the victory.
"Congratulations to Jagdeep Dhankhar on being elected the Vice President of India. The nation will benefit from your long and rich experience of public life. My best wishes for a productive and successful tenure," tweeted President Murmu.
"Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar ji on being elected as the 14th Vice-President of India," wrote Rahul Gandhi. "Thank you to Smt @alva_margaret ji for representing the spirit of the joint Opposition with grace and dignity," he added.
"Congratulations Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar on being elected as the Vice President of India. Wishing you success in your tenure as the Vice President," Sharad Pawar tweeted.
Rajnath Singh tweeted, "Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar on winning the Vice Presidential elections. His long public life, wide experience and deep understanding of people’s issues will certainly benefit the nation. I am confident that he will make an exceptional VP & Rajya Sabha Chairman."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Dhankhar soon after his election at his residence in Delhi and congratulated him.
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