Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, on Wednesday, took a sarcasm at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying that both of them do not want to protect the Indian Constitution and do not intend to save democracy.
Kharge, who reached Junagadh in Gujarat this afternoon, while talking to ANI said that the main objective of the opposition is to save the Constitution and democracy.
Kharge said, “It is common to contest elections in democracy. Our main goal is to save the constitution and protect democracy. The land on which people like Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel were born and brought freedom to the country, these two are very honorable for us. The country is very honorable for us. However, two others do not want the constitution to save democracy.”
Speaking on the Vice Presidential election, Kharge said, “We did not have a majority, we got the same number of votes.”
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Manish Tiwari said that the alleged possibility of cross voting should be conducted systematically by every component of the opposition coalition.
Tiwari told ANI, “If cross-voting has taken place, every component of India alliance should investigate it seriously. Cross-voting is a very serious matter. If what you are saying is correct or what is coming out publicly or what is being speculated in public or which is being speculated, there is also a little truth in it, then it should be organized and intensive investigation.”
His remarks came after targeting the opposition by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in the recently concluded Vice -Presidential elections over the possibility of cross voting by India alliance MPs, in which NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan won.
Rijiju said that the NDA and all our friendly MPs are united.
Rijiju wrote on 4, “Special thanks to some MPs of the Indo-Nepal alliance who voted with ‘Awaaz Ki Awaaz’ for NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan in the Vice Presidential election. NDA and all our friends are united. Congratulations to all the humble and skilled person and a true patriot on choosing the new Vice President of India.”
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary BL Santosh claimed that the India alliance candidate got 15 votes less than the total number.
Santosh wrote on X, “Voting took place through ballot papers and the Indi alliance got 15 votes less than its number. The leaders of the Indie alliance launched a campaign to vote on the voice of the conscience. In return they got it.”
Radhakrishnan was elected 15th Vice President on Tuesday. Radhakrishnan defeated India Block candidate Justice B Sudarshan Reddy by 152 votes in the Vice Presidential election. CP Radhakrishnan got 452 votes of first preference while Justice Reddy got 300 votes of first preference. 15 votes were declared illegal.
Rajya Sabha General Secretary PC Modi said at a press conference, “NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan got 452 votes of first preference. He was elected Vice President of India. Justice Sudarshan Reddy got 300 votes of first preference.”
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) kept distance from voting in the Vice Presidential elections, while the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) also decided not to participate in it. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had announced that it would “boycott” the election, as the people of Punjab are “disturbed and angry” for not getting any help from the central and state government.
The post of Vice President is vacant since July 21, 2025, as Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post citing health reasons.
