- 1 year ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast the first vote as polling for the Vice-Presidential election began at 10 am. The BJP-led NDA has fielded Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, while the opposition INDIA bloc has nominated former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00A very good morning viewers, you're watching India Today. I am Preeti Chaudhary. By the end of the evening at precisely about 7pm, we will have the 14th Vice President of the country.
00:11Well, while the numbers might be a given and you might think that this is a boring election to watch, the NDA already has it in the bag.
00:17But no, it's going to get very, very interesting viewers. Because there is no whip. Will there be cross-voting? What will be the margin of victory?
00:25Will the opposition be able to up its numbers from what it actually has? Or will it be the NDA?
00:32All of that, the detail will be, the devil will be in the detail and you've got to watch it right here on India Today.
00:39Who's cross-voting? All of that is going to be coming up right here.
00:43But before that, news coming in. The first person to vote this morning at the Rajya Sabah Secretariat for the Vice Presidential Election is the Prime Minister of the country.
00:53Prime Minister Modi has reached the Parliament for the VP polls. He will be the first vote that will be cast for the election of the 14th Vice President.
01:03The election will begin sharp. The time for polling viewers will begin sharp at 10am. It will continue all the way to 5pm.
01:126pm is when counting will happen. And by 7pm we will know the name of the 14th Vice President of the country.
01:20To give you a larger understanding, the Electoral College for the election of the Vice President comprises of Rajya Sabah MPs and Lok Sabah MPs.
01:30Right now, where it actually stands, the Lok Sabah stands at 542. It was 543. There has been a demise of the Bashir Hart West Bengal MP, which brings the strength to 542.
01:44At the Rajya Sabah's concern, you have about 239. Minus 6 because there are 6 vacancies in Rajya Sabah.
01:50There are 4 coming in from Jammu and Kashmir, one from Punjab and one after the unfortunate demise of Mr. Shibu Sarain.
01:58And you club it all together, it makes 781. The halfway mark is 386.
02:03Why is it less than 392 is because there have been abstinence now which will take place from the BJD and the BRS.
02:15Alright, visuals coming in. The Prime Minister moving towards the Rajya Sabah Secretariat, the Presiding Officer and the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabah, Mr. PC Modi.
02:24I want to quickly cut across to my colleague, Aishwarya Paliwal, who is getting us all the reactions, all the latest, all the news coming in from the Parliament.
02:35Aishwarya, the first person to vote is the Prime Minister. He will, of course, be followed by Mr. Malik Arjun Kharge, who will come in to vote in 10.15.
02:42Give us the latest. What are you picking up?
02:44Well, you know, Preeti, in just a couple of minutes we will see Prime Minister Narendra Modi casting his vote, followed by Malik Arjun Kharge and then it will be Rahul Gandhi.
02:54These are the people, this is the order that we understand at the moment in which the voting will be done.
02:59Now, Preeti, we have seen how the opposition very clearly understanding the fact that they do not have the numbers,
03:04but they also have been pointing towards the fact that this is an ideological war and that's the reason why they have put up a candidate.
03:10The NDA on its side, very, very confident. They are also saying that there will be some people who actually will not be casting the vote
03:17according to what the party is expecting it to be, clearly pointing towards the opposition.
03:21The numbers at the moment obviously stacked in favour of NDA, but those who are abstaining,
03:27that actually is something, Preeti, that everyone is very keenly looking at.
03:30The reason, Preeti, why Prime Minister Modi is the first person to cast his vote is after he casts his vote,
03:35he will then be moving to the states of Punjab and the state of Himachal Pradesh.
03:38Review meetings will take place then. From what we are understanding, Preeti, by about 8pm,
03:43that's the time when we will see the counting getting over and by 8pm,
03:47we will know who the next vice president of our country will be.
03:50All right, so it's 8pm and why it's all the more interesting and Aishwarya weigh in on this,
03:54which is something that we were touching on in the earlier broadcast, is that it's on ballot paper.
04:00This is not an EVM. So it's on ballot paper and there were workshops that were taking place,
04:06Aishwarya, over yesterday, both where the NDA MPs were concerned, as well as the Opposition Alliance MPs
04:13to exactly know how to fold the paper properly. There is a particular pen, particular ink,
04:19there's a full protocol and procedure attached to it. And understandably so, because if you look at it,
04:24in 2017, there were 11 votes that were invalid. In 2022, Mr. Dhankar's election itself,
04:29there were 15 votes which were invalid. So a lot of pain and precision has gone behind training the MPs
04:37to actually vote. Because even if the paper viewers is not folded properly and the crease is not exactly
04:43where it's supposed to be, it's an invalid vote.
04:49Well, Priti, it is very, very crucial. And you know, we have seen how in 2024, close to 40% MPs in the Lok Sabha,
04:56they are the new MPs. So that's the reason why we have the workshop that took place.
05:00If we speak about the NDA, the workshop lasted for almost four and a half hours.
05:04We understand the opposition also had a workshop telling everyone the pen to use.
05:08And you rightly pointed out that, you know, a little bit here and there and that vote can actually
05:13be in the invalid state. So that's the reason why we are seeing how a proper workshop took place.
05:18The timings were told to everyone. In fact, the ND also made sure that they have different groups.
05:23In these different groups, there is one leader. That leader has to make sure that the MPs understand
05:27what exactly needs to be done. Because this also is an election, Priti. Each vote matters.
05:32It does in every election. But when we speak about the VP, every vote matters.
05:36And that's the reason why we are seeing both the NDA as well as the opposition,
05:41all of them making sure that the MPs understand what exactly is at stake.
05:44And that's the reason why almost four and a half hours workshop we saw just 24 hours ago,
05:49both by the NDA and the opposition.
05:50All right. Why is Aishwara saying every vote matters, especially in the vice president election?
05:54Because the result might be a given. And why we say it's a given?
05:57Because right now where the NDA stands, it stands comfortably over 30 votes over what is
06:02the halfway mark. So the NDA on its own, without even the others coming in, right,
06:07is comfortably standing way above with 30 votes on the halfway mark. It's 80 short on that account
06:13for the India Alliance and the opposition leaders. So it's a given election. But why does every vote
06:19matter in this election, viewers? Because in politics, if there is nothing bigger than bragging rights,
06:26this will give bragging rights to either side of the divide if they've been able to up that number
06:31for the NDA Alliance. All right. So, OK, word coming in. The prime minister has cast his vote
06:38already and he's making his way out. He has a packed schedule, a packed day ahead of him.
06:43He's going to right from here fly down to Himachal Pradesh aerial survey, Punjab aerial survey,
06:49taking stock of the situation on these two flood hit states.
06:52And that is the prime minister leaving the Rajya Sabha secretariat. In minutes now,
06:59you will see, of course, Malik Arjun Karge come in. But the first vote has been cast.
07:04The elections have been declared open, where it comes down to electing the 14th vice president
07:09of this country, viewers. All right. So, you know, coming back to why it matters,
07:13bragging rights matter, viewers, because ultimately, if the margin of victory is massive,
07:20which the NDA hopes that it is, then you're going into Bihar elections and the word you take is
07:26the opposition, the Ghat Bandhan in itself is fractured. Many from them have voted on the other
07:31side. There is no whip. So each party is free to appeal to the conscience of the MPs of the other.
07:38It's a secret ballot. So all the more interesting on what could actually go down in that ballot.
07:43And by 738, we'll know the results. What would also be interesting is right now, like I pointed
07:50out, you have the NDA camp, which stands comfortably over 30 votes of the halfway mark, 80 shot for the
07:58India alliance, which is the opposition. And then comes the figure of 48 viewers. 48 are those others
08:06which neither come into the India alliance or the NDA alliance. They don't conform to either of the
08:12alliance. Some of them have decided to sit this one out, abstain. The BJD has done so. The BRS has
08:17done so, which of course has taken the total strength of the electoral college down, reducing
08:21the halfway mark. But there are others. And this is the time where the spotlight is on the smaller
08:26parties, the independents, each one of the conscience. You know, again, conscience is something,
08:33a word, antaratma is a word that is often used, especially in the time of polling. And today,
08:39it's going to be very subjective where these 48 will actually vote. There will be attempts also
08:44then to break unity where NDA is concerned or the India alliance is concerned. More visuals coming in.
08:50You have the defense minister, Rajanath Singh, who is going in to cast his vote there. Rajanath Singh
08:55has been one of those key figures, troubleshooting over the last 48 hours, where rallying the forces of
09:03NDA are as well. And of course, you have Mr. Yadav coming in, Ramgopal Yadav coming in from the
09:10Samajwadi party to vote. I want to go across to Rahul Gautam and Anurag Thakur also coming in to vote
09:16there. But Rahul Gautam, coming to you this morning, the visuals, the optics, and they say a lot in
09:22politics. From the NDA camp are massive. You had breakfast meetings of UP MPs at Piyush Goel's
09:28residence, Madhya Pradesh MPs at Shivraj Singh Chauhan's residence, all other northern state MPs
09:35at ML Qatar's residence, Gujarat at Mansuk Mandavia's residence. All of that is taking place.
09:40The NDA is not leaving one vote to chance. They are taking this election very seriously,
09:45even though they already have it in the bag. What is the opposition's point of view? What is the
09:52opposition doing, other than appealing to the conscience of the other parties?
10:02Well, Priti, a short while back, a meeting took place inside the chamber of LOP, Rajya Sabha,
10:09Mr. Malik Arjun, Kharge, of all the state conveners who have been interested and responsible to ensure
10:15that all the opposition votes go in the favor of B. Sudarshan Reddy. Obviously, we all know that
10:23the verdict seems to be already out. Therefore, it seems that the opposition seems to have given up,
10:28given the fact that many non-NDA, non-India bloc parties have either decided to go with NDA or
10:35they've decided to sit out and abstain from the voting. So therefore, they are only insisting on
10:40Antaratma, which seems to have become a word of the day as far as opposition is concerned.
10:43They are repeating this again and again, and they are trying to send out this message that
10:48it's an ideological battle as far as opposition is concerned. They are describing this as a battle
10:54between constitution versus RSS. So as far as opposition is concerned, obviously, in terms of
11:01optics, they are looking way behind NDA, who've been holding meetings with, I mean, I know there are
11:08several ministers, MPs who have given this responsibility to get, you know, these MPs together
11:16at their residence and then take them, you know, for voting for parliament. So as far as NDA is
11:21concerned, it seems that they're pretty tight and they are ensuring that not a single vote from there
11:27is going towards B. Sudarshan Reddy. However, yesterday, Shiv Sena MP, Naresh Maske, has claimed that
11:33they're going to be cross-voting today. So as far as opposition is concerned, right now, it is a
11:38challenge for them to keep the flock together because, you know, off record, many Congress leaders
11:44are saying that many MPs are being approached by BGP leaders who are saying them to vote in their
11:50favour. Now, obviously, Mr. Reddy also wrote a letter to all the MPs, including BGP MPs. So
11:56therefore, it's a battle of perception. Opposition would want to get more votes than their original
12:01strength. NDA would want to break the opposition unity to send a message ahead of Bihar polls. So
12:06as far as this election is concerned, it's a battle between numerical advantage versus ideological
12:12ideals that opposition is harping upon.
12:15And also lots of flow management. It's a battle of that. And clearly, where optics are concerned,
12:20you know, and I want to cut across to our guests. Rahul, stay with me. Rahul and Aishwarya,
12:23we're coming right back to you because the action is all there. The studio, we are just observing
12:28what's going on. But let me quickly take a question each of the guests who are joining us. You know,
12:33it's a battle of ideologies. It's a narrative of antaratma, which side the antaratma or the
12:39conscious leans on. But also advocate Mahima Singh, spokesperson Congress, who's joining us.
12:44Let me quickly introduce our guests to you. We have Shahzad Poonawalla, spokesperson BJP,
12:49Aarti Jairad, senior journalist, political commentator. Rajat Siti, political commentator,
12:53continues to be with us. And we are also joined by Mahima Singh of the Congress. Do we have
12:57Mahima Singh right now? All right. Okay. We don't have Mahima Singh. We have Shahzad Poonawalla.
13:03Very good morning, Shahzad, joining us on the panel there. And we have Aarti Jairad. Very good
13:07morning, ma'am. Rajat continues to be with us from 9 a.m. Shahzad, interesting whether your optics
13:13are concerned. Clearly, where floor management comes into question, the NDA optics are looking
13:18good. Breakfast meetings in various residents of top leadership. You're clearly not taking
13:24an election which you seemingly have won lightly.
13:28Preeti ji, just on a lighter note, yahaan par bhi Congress late hai. So, Congress is in vacation
13:34mode. Congress is in late mode. And we are in work mode. By the way, before I make my opening
13:40comments, Preeti, let me compliment you for the series you have started called Unpolitics.
13:45It is griffing. And I have seen the episode of Uma Bharati ji. And I was moved to tears.
13:50So, that is just on a lighter or a… I appreciate it, Shahzad ji. Thank you.
13:54We'll send out an invitation to you very soon. I am not in that league, yes. But thank you
13:59for considering me. But having said that, let me come to the debate today. Preeti, today's
14:05discussion on the vice president election has to be seen in the context of merit bana
14:09mauka parasti. Merit se utha hua ek admi, ek sang ka kaarekarta, grassroot worker of the
14:15BJP, governor rahe hai, MP rahe hai, choir board ka adyaksh rahe to dihi increase the exports.
14:22And the other one is somebody whom the Congress till yesterday was calling yes man of Mr.
14:26Parikar. Aaj unko yes bol diya. Somebody who has given judgments which will raise many questions
14:32so it can be seen in the context of Rashtrawadi versus Naksalwadi. Somebody would say that it
14:37is also integrity versus people who are standing with Lalu Prasad yadav. So, this is not about
14:42optics. It is actually a substantive debate. And if it is about Samvidan, Preeti, just one
14:46question. The entire images of what has happened in Jammu Kashmir with the Ashok Savam which is
14:51Samrat Ashok Bihar ki Bhoomi se juda hua, it was desecrated but not a single word by Mr.
14:57Reddy or by the Indy Alliance on this to condemn it. In fact, they have justified it
15:01Tariq Anwar etc. have justified it. So, on the one hand, you have work mode, you have
15:06integrity mode, you have Rashtrawadi mode, you have merit mode and the other you have
15:11Mokaparashti mode, you have soft corner for Naksalism mode and you have people who are
15:16okay with the desecration of Ashok's thumb. This is the debate and discussion that is
15:20going on vis-a-vis these two candidates.
15:22But interesting, Shahzad. And I'll circle back to you because what's also interesting in
15:25all of this is that judgment that you speak of of Salwa Jadoon came in 2012.
15:28Yet, in 2013, the BJP mooted the name of Mr. Sudarshan Reddy as Lokayuk. I'll come
15:33back to you, I'm sure you want to, you know, answer that. But, alright, the voting has
15:37begun, which has begun. Prime Minister Modi was the first to vote. You've had Rajanath
15:40Singh, Ram Gopal Yadav, you've had Anurag Thakur since then who have already cast their
15:46vote. We're going to continue beaming the visuals live viewers. Once again, you know, all
15:50of you who are joining us might say, you toh bada boring chunaab hai. The NDA has already
15:54won this election. Well, the NDA might have the numbers, but it's going to be interesting.
15:58And I'll bring in Aarti Jairat before we go back to Ranjad Sethi on why it's going to be
16:02interesting, Aarti Jairat, because bragging rights go a long way in Indian politics. And
16:06if the NDA today, because they stand about 31 over the halfway mark without even the others,
16:12if the NDA today has managed to break or appeal to the conscience rather of the opposition
16:19parties, then they bring up their numbers. It's bragging rights right before Bihar elections.
16:24You can go into that battleground and say that the opposition, the Gatbandhan is fractured
16:29in any case.
16:33PT, I don't know how much impact this will have in Bihar because I think the Bihar elections
16:37are being fought on very local issues. But yes, you're absolutely right. Politics has become
16:43so polarized and so confrontational that every vote counts, as you have been saying, you know,
16:51and every side wants to prove that they have their own numbers stacked firmly behind them
16:59and some more if they can get some more. So at the end of the day, we're not looking at
17:05who's going to win because I think that's pretty clear who's going to win. What we're looking at
17:10is how many votes the winner polls and how many votes the loser polls, which will tell you
17:16the state of political parties in parliament. And I think that's really the battle that is
17:22being fought today.
17:23Aarti, you know, I want to ask you another question because right now you have the India Alliance
17:27or the opposition, one can say, which is 80 short of the halfway mark and you have the NDA,
17:33which is 30 over the halfway mark. Anything that drops more than 80 percent, clearly, you have
17:39the India Alliance and the opposition that has lost more votes and the vote have clearly
17:43gone on the NDA's side. But Aarti, the question I want to ask you, right now, you know, there's
17:49always the realm of speculation where politics is concerned, especially on days like this when
17:53there is a secret ballot. Word coming in, appeals are being made to Uddhav Thakere's MPs,
18:00to Sharad Pawar's MPs, to the three lone MPs of Heman Surin. Would you see that's the weakest link
18:06where the India Alliance is concerned?
18:10Indeed, because Uddhav Thakere has been kind of wishy-washy about his, you know, loyalty to the,
18:18you know, MVAA. And I mean, he's been reaching out to his cousin. He says that he's going to fight
18:26the BJP in Maharashtra. But at the same time, you know, he's also been, you know, kind of
18:32distancing himself from the MVA. So, one doesn't know really where his loyalty lies today. But,
18:40you know, Preeti, the fact is that this is a secret ballot. So, it's going to be very difficult
18:44to say who actually cross-voted, whether it was the Shiv Sena or the Thakere that cross-voted.
18:50There will be lots of raised eyebrows. It's going to be fun.
18:53Yeah. So, you know, and as you said, I think there's some 30, 40 MPs who are unattached.
19:0148. 48 unattached. But out of them, you know, the BJD and the BRS have said that they're going
19:06to sit this one out. They're going to abstain.
19:07But, you know, if the ND gets more than its registered number in Parliament, the numbers
19:13will be coming from there, not necessarily from the India Bloc. So, I think what we really
19:18need to watch is the India Bloc numbers rather than the India Bloc numbers.
19:21That's what I'm saying. So, if the India Bloc numbers drop where the margin goes lesser,
19:27goes over 80, then they have Trojan horses which are well within the India Lions game.
19:34And that will tell you the story of these elections.
19:36Exactly. So, that's what I'm saying. The devil is in the detail.
19:38Okay. Rajat Sethi, quickly, what a weigh in. Is that the number that you're watching closely
19:42this morning or rather by the time the results come out?
19:46So, they are not Trojan horses. They're conscience keepers. Just paraphrasing it for you.
19:53But, see, of course, since this election is such a done deal, I will be seeing a lot of,
20:00a lot of, you know, political minds within the…
20:04Rajat, hold that thought. We have reactions coming in. Apologies there. Let's hold that thought.
20:07Reddy right now. He's the candidate for the India Alliance, refusing to speak. He did give
20:16out a public appeal this morning. Refusing to speak. He's made it very clear it's a battle
20:21of ideologies. Continue with that thought, Rajat. Then we go back to Rahul Gautam and Aishwarya.
20:25Okay. Yeah. So, I think in the, in the, in the run-up to the election, a lot of conscience
20:33all was attempted to read. My journey has begun with the constitution.
20:38You know, I think today, Vivas, conscience is a word you're going to wear very often from
20:48either sides of the divine. Conscious is very subjective this morning. Go ahead, Rajat. Sorry.
20:53No, no, Piti ji, this conscience word, it seems like, you know, there is a saying in Hindi
21:00ki, tum meri suno, bhagwaan tumhari sunega. That's the only appeal that the opposition is
21:06left with. Instead, they could have made this as a rallying point. You know that the government,
21:10they have been, you know, peddling this agenda that the government is in peril. Whatever numbers
21:15you are saying is not serious numbers. There is a lot of infighting within the NDA. All
21:19of those narratives fall flat when it actually starts to matter. You know, Pawan Khela and
21:25so many other spokespersons of the Congress party have been hogging the limelight, saying
21:29all kinds of things that Prime Minister has six months, seven months. But you know, when
21:33you actually, you, this is the only opportunity over the past year, year and a half or so, when
21:38you genuinely had, had a chance to actually show that, yes, there are cracks within the NDA.
21:43But instead what happens are such glaring gaps and cracks within the India alliance itself,
21:48you know, that nobody will take them any more seriously. Because, you know, when you make
21:53such tall claims, and this is no less, even the Congress President Mr. Khadge himself has
21:59said that, you know, the numbers are counted for Prime Minister and where you are when you
22:04had to actually, you know, come out and very strongly assert that, yes, India alliance is
22:09together and we are that potent challenge. You're not even there. You're missing in action
22:13entirely. You're not able to keep your flock together.
22:15All right. Okay. They're not there in optics. And then you have to resort to conscience
22:17calls. Okay. They're not there in optics. And we was, you know, why I'll tell you why
22:20they're not there in optics. It's not that we are trying to, you know, say something which
22:24is otherwise, but optics in terms of since the morning, you have every top leader of the
22:30BJP hosts breakfast for MPs from each state. So there's been, you know, it seems to be a man
22:35to man marking and each political leader where the BJP is concerned in charge of a certain set.
22:42You don't see that coming in from the opposition. You don't see that coming in. While the opposition is
22:48hoping that the conscience prevails, but there's a fair amount of floor management which is visible on
22:53the other side. That's all we are saying. They can be cross voting both ways. While cross voting is a term
22:59which, you know, we are using loosely because there is no whip. This is a secret ballot.
23:03There is no whip. And all right. Lots of reactions coming in. Once again, an attempt to hear Mr. Suresh
23:08ready. Let's dip it. Sudarshan ready. Let's dip it.
23:11Darshan ready says has been asked many times. All right. Okay. Let's the same questions coming in.
23:26Let's cut out of that.
23:29Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
23:32Darshan Reddy says, has been asked many times.
23:37All right, okay, let's, the same questions coming in, let's cut out of that.
23:41You have Mr. Sudarshan Reddy a little irritated this morning,
23:44facing certain questions that he said that he's already answered.
23:47All right, because I want to go back before we come into our guests again.
23:50The story is at the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
23:53Visuals are streaming in.
23:54You have the Prime Minister who's voted at 10 a.m. sharp this morning.
23:57The vice presidential elections have been declared open.
24:0110 a.m., polling begins, finishes sharp at 5 p.m., 6 o'clock counting starts.
24:06It's a paper ballot and it's going to take time.
24:09We're counting is concerned by 7.38, seemingly we'll get the results.
24:13We'll give you the breakup of the Electoral College.
24:15If you have our reporters, Rahul Gautam and Aishwarya,
24:18we're going to connect to the both of them in just about a short while from now.
24:22What also would be interesting for us in all of this,
24:24like I said, it's a secret ballot, there is no whip.
24:26There'll be a lot of MPs who are in jail who'll be coming out to vote.
24:30You have Rashid Engineer who'll be coming in to vote.
24:32Amrit Pal from Punjab, he'll be coming in to vote.
24:36Swati Malewal, a free agent, seems he's going to go the BJP way.
24:40What will be important?
24:42And the people on whom the spotlight will be,
24:45will be the 48 that fall neither in the NDA or the India divide.
24:51They would be the one which would be moved the most this morning.
24:55All right, let's, once again, and Rahul Gautam is joining us in a bit.
25:00What's also interesting, viewers, that there were workshops that were conducted.
25:04And Aarti Jairath was somebody that's covered Parliament.
25:06Maybe you'd want to come in on that.
25:08Because, you know, what we thought was a little bizarre is workshops on how to fold paper,
25:14what ink to use.
25:15But, you know, there's a point because the last time around when Mr. Dhankar was elected,
25:2115 invalid votes.
25:23So, clearly there is a problem that most MPs or some MPs face while putting in their vote.
25:32You know, Preeti, we have seen in Rajasava elections in the States,
25:38how an entire election can be decided because one or two votes have been declared invalid.
25:44I remember, you know, when Amit Patte was contesting for the Rajasava ticket from Gujarat.
25:49Oh, yes.
25:50You know, that invalid, you remember the suspense over that invalid vote, you know.
25:55And similarly in Haryana also it has happened.
25:57So, invalid votes can actually swing an election.
26:01So, no wonder they are doing this kind of workshop.
26:05And the fact is that there are many new MPs this time.
26:09You know, the BJP in particular keeps chopping its old MPs and putting up new faces.
26:15So, you know, there are many new MPs for whom this is a first offer.
26:20Aarti Jayath, can I just come in?
26:22I'm interrupting you.
26:22I just want to take our viewers through those visuals that were streaming in.
26:25Maybe we can play that again and we can talk over that for our viewers.
26:28Okay, Kiran Rajiju and the other MPs.
26:32There is, all right, there the Prime Minister coming in, casting his vote.
26:38He's at the Rajasava Secretariat.
26:40There is a full process on how that vote needs to be cast.
26:43The presiding officer, you see on the first, the second man, there in the black bandh gala,
26:48Mr. P.C. Modi.
26:50He is the presiding officer, the Secretary General, Rajasava.
26:53The election commission conducts this election, appointing Mr. P.C. Modi.
26:59You see that man on the right-hand side in that black bandh gala?
27:02He is the presiding officer there.
27:04Casting his vote, he's the first one to do so.
27:06From here on, he moves now to Punjab and the state of Himachal,
27:13where he's touring both states because they've faced the wrath of nature
27:18in the last one month where floods were concerned,
27:21being received by MPs like Mr. Kiran Rajiju right in front of the Rajasava Secretariat.
27:27I want to quickly cut across to our reporters and then we'll go back to Shahzad.
27:31One quick word in coming in from Aishwarya and Rahul Gautam
27:34because viewers, ultimately, the story is taking place there.
27:37The dynamics, the politicking, all of that.
27:41Aishwarya, there are certain MPs, some of them, you know,
27:44who were made in charge of hosting MPs from states
27:48and then there are some who have been made in charge of trying to persuade
27:52or appeal, rather, for a politer word,
27:55to the moral conscience of MPs which really don't fall within their party fold
28:00or their alliance fold.
28:04What's going on?
28:05Give us the gossip.
28:06What's going on behind the scenes?
28:07The first votes actually were made by Rajnath Singh.
28:09He's the one.
28:10Well, Preeti, you know, let me tell you,
28:14the first call actually that was made was by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
28:18In fact, let me tell you, he's the one who personally made sure
28:21that he gave calls to all the parties.
28:23And some of the parties, like YSRCP, Jagad Mohan Reddy,
28:26made sure that he, you know, tells his MPs that we need to vote in favour of India
28:30because of that one phone call which was made by Rajnath Singh.
28:33So we have seen how a lot of backroom talks actually are going on
28:36and the parties, you know, Preeti,
28:38more than the people who are actually voting,
28:40the interesting factor are the parties that are actually not voting
28:43which means that the total number will come down.
28:45But this time, we are not seeing the antaratma ki awaas
28:48that we had heard quite often over the past many years.
28:52But yes, this time we are seeing how parties have taken a very decisive stand
28:56and they are saying whether they are with NDA or with the opposition,
28:59the BJP, but yeah, let me tell you,
29:00was amongst the first party who had started making calls.
29:03And in fact, some of the parties also said
29:05that the opposition never reached out to us.
29:07So the ones that did reach out to us, we are now voting in their favour.
29:11So a lot of backroom talks obviously went on
29:13and the deciding factor will now become the ballot paper.
29:17We will know and that is what claims are also being made
29:19by a lot of MPs that we will see cross-voting also taking place
29:22throughout the course of the day.
29:23Preeti.
29:24You know, Aishwarya, you know,
29:25before we cut across to our guests very quickly
29:28because there's a lot of chatter within reporters,
29:30what are political reporters today,
29:32who are they watching very closely that this person could cross-vote?
29:35Who are the probables today?
29:37Well, we could see, you know, some in the opposition
29:48and in fact, people are also very closely looking at some of the Congress MPs.
29:51That's also something which at the moment, Preeti, is being looked at
29:54because we have seen how the fissures are out in the open.
29:56There are certain MPs in the Congress party not very, very happy
29:59and also saying that this is a candidate which they should not have gone with.
30:03TMC also is a party, Preeti, let me tell you, which one should look out for
30:06because there were murmurs within the parties also, within the alliance also.
30:10Not everyone in the opposition camp is happy with the candidate pick that has gone ahead.
30:15So we should be looking at TMC, the Congress and also a little bit at the Samajwadi party.
30:20These are the three parties that we should be on the look out for.
30:21That you're looking closely at.
30:23Yes, let me tell you, cross-voting is a reality
30:26and we will see it happening through the course of the day.
30:28All right.
30:29You know, so there are narratives and there are optics.
30:31Aishwarya, of course, covers the Bharatiya Janata party
30:33so she's given us the ringside view on who could possibly cross-vote from the other divide.
30:38We'll try and get Rahul Gautam as well
30:39because the opposition as well is going to try and make a meal
30:43of at least trying to up their numbers.
30:45Optics-wise, right now, they seem to be on a back foot
30:48and okay, we have advocate Mahima Singh finally.
30:51Mahima Singh, you're late on the show.
30:52You had Shehzad Poonawala berate you here as well
30:54saying that as usual, Congress is also late now.
30:58But coming back to the moot question, Mahima Singh,
31:00and I'm only talking about on the basis of optics, ma'am.
31:03The BJP seemingly fighting for every vote
31:05even though they have the election in the bag.
31:07Where is the Congress right now?
31:09You seem to be on the defensive where the calling card is Antaratma and conscience.
31:13No floor management.
31:14Is there floor management?
31:16Tell us that.
31:18Jayind, Preeti, I'm sure you are aware that this is a very eventful day for us
31:25and in addition to that, you're aware that I'm an advocate.
31:28Mornings are a little handful.
31:30I'm very sorry.
31:31Ma'am, I was only kidding.
31:32Yeah, yeah, no problem.
31:33Apologies for being late on your show.
31:35But coming back to the question, you know,
31:38I must ask, where is the VP candidate from the NBA?
31:41We haven't seen much of him.
31:43Rather, I should say, we haven't seen him at all.
31:46Ma'am, he was at the Ram Temple this morning.
31:48Taking blessings, suggesting that this is a fight between nationalism,
31:55those who...
31:55Acham, ma'am, make your point.
31:56You have asked me a question.
31:59Allow me to, you know, give my two cents on it.
32:03What we saw yesterday until this morning, Preeti,
32:06is BJD, BRS, SAD.
32:09The NDA allies, the BJP allies pull out of this election.
32:14They have abstained from voting.
32:16I think that is very telling.
32:18That should tell us the state of affairs within the NDA.
32:21Your reporter was talking about the TMC.
32:24The TMC is very much with us.
32:26We have been talking to Mamata Adi.
32:28She was traveling across the, you know, length and breadth of Bengal,
32:33since Bengal is also an election-going state.
32:36But trust me, and you will see as the day proceeds,
32:40all the India bloc parties and more are standing together.
32:45You have seen AIMIM come with us.
32:47You have seen AAP, Amadmi Pachi, come with us.
32:51And our candidate is a through-and-through, thorough constitutionalist.
32:55That is our USP.
32:57What we need now more than ever,
32:59when we have seen an unceremonial,
33:02so-called resignation of the former VP,
33:05historical resignation,
33:06and we have seen him go out of that house without a farewell.
33:11Very unceremonious for the whole country.
33:14At such, what we need is...
33:16Okay, ma'am, now I'll come back to you.
33:17Allow me to bring in our other guests.
33:19Allow me to bring in our other guests as well,
33:21because they've been waiting patiently.
33:22I'll just circle back to you.
33:23That's all I'm going to do.
33:24All right.
33:24Shahzad Poonawalla has been wanting to make a point.
33:26Shahzad Poonawalla, let's turn this around.
33:28This would be, whatever the margin,
33:30if it sticks to what it is on paper,
33:33would be one of the closest margins ever of victory
33:37for the Bharatiya Janata Party.
33:39I think the last time it was,
33:40it was in 97 when Surjit Singhji lost,
33:44and then it was Sushil Kumar Shinde,
33:45who lost, I think, in 2002.
33:48And R.T. Jairath is free to correct me.
33:49She knows, you know, the VP elections over decades more than I.
33:54But, so this, the margin would be much lesser.
33:56Shahzad Poonawalla.
33:58And the sheer fact,
33:59those who voted with you the last time around,
34:01allies or those who have supported you,
34:03are sitting this one out.
34:05They are abstaining.
34:07First of all, let me extend a warm welcome
34:10to our fellow panelist, advocate Mahima Singh.
34:13Chalo, she has come before Rahul has landed back from Malaysia
34:16or wherever he was.
34:17To aapka bhaut bhaut swagat hai, Mahima ji.
34:20Chalo, aap ade ghante hi late hai,
34:21ae ghante ke debate pe.
34:22Koi samasya nahi hai.
34:23Now, coming to the moot point.
34:25Preeti ji, you cover politics far too long for me to explain to you
34:29that neither BJD nor BRS was ever part of the NDA alliance.
34:33In fact, if they were having such a great candidate,
34:36at least they should have convinced YSRCP,
34:38which is from the same region that they are trying to play the regional card from.
34:41Even YSRCP is not voting with them.
34:44And by the way, what has Mahima ji just said?
34:46MIM is voting for us.
34:48Preeti, how many debates we have done where they say,
34:50MIM to aapki bteam,
34:52MIM aapki bteam,
34:53MIM aapki bteam,
34:54and when it is necessary,
34:56Raywant Reddy gets on hotline with OVC Saab.
34:58Janab vote chahiye.
35:00And OVC says, Janab,
35:01le lo vote.
35:01And then we will come and say this to our B team.
35:03So today, Mahima Singh has for posterity shown
35:06that they are chote miya, bade miya with MIM
35:08and with Aam Admi Party.
35:10Now, we will not say this to our B team.
35:12Thank you very much.
35:14Now, let's come to the next point.
35:15Preeti ji, just before coming in this segment,
35:17you have shown the bite of Sudarshan Reddy.
35:19You saw how arrogantly he was behaving?
35:22I mean, abhi toh vice president ke aadhe vote bhi nahi aya hai hai.
35:26Aar aap itna arrogance.
35:27And Madam Mahima Singh ji was saying,
35:29where is our VP candidate?
35:31Madam, you are looking in the wrong place.
35:33If you look outside Lalu ji's house
35:34and you look outside Chara Ghotala,
35:37then you will find our candidate.
35:38You will find him in Ram Mandir.
35:40You will find him with the people of the country.
35:42You will look at only the Chara Ghotala bars,
35:44then you will not find him.
35:45But Mahima ji, last question,
35:47because you are a reputed, very big lawyer,
35:48the Ashok's thumb was desecrated.
35:51It is a symbol of India, pride,
35:53not a communal symbol.
35:54It is symbol and pride of Ashok Samarath, Bihar also.
35:57What is the stand of India alliance?
35:59Because Tari Kanwar has supported the desecrators.
36:01If you are for constitution,
36:03condemn the desecrators
36:04and say Tari Kanwar is wrong.
36:06All right, okay.
36:07I want to bring in,
36:07I'll come back to you Mahima Singh.
36:08You want to come in for a rebuttal?
36:09Allow me to bring in Aarti Jairath as well
36:11into this conversation.
36:13Aarti Jairath, you know,
36:14let's for a moment right now
36:16step out of, you know,
36:17the politics of it all
36:19and just journalistic inquisition.
36:22If you look back, Aarti Jairath,
36:24this would,
36:25at least if we stick to what looks on paper,
36:2880 shot for India alliance,
36:30halfway mark,
36:3130 over the halfway mark for the NDA,
36:34would be one of the narrowest margins ever
36:37of victory.
36:39Sure.
36:40And, you know,
36:41I think that is why also
36:42this is probably the most hard,
36:46you know, the most,
36:48what should I say,
36:49the most, you know,
36:50strongly contested election.
36:52You know, in the past,
36:54how much attention have we really paid
36:56to the VP election?
36:57You know, it's always just passed off
36:59sort of by the way
37:00and then we announce the name of the victor
37:03and who the next vice president will be.
37:05But this time there's a lot of interest
37:07that has been generated.
37:09I think, firstly,
37:09because of the manner
37:10in which the previous vice president exited,
37:13you know,
37:14two years before his tenure ended,
37:16which has necessitated this,
37:18you know,
37:19sort of advanced election
37:20for the vice president.
37:22And secondly,
37:23because of the,
37:24you know,
37:25state politics today
37:26where each side wants to do
37:29a one-upmanship all the time
37:32on every issue,
37:34even on the issue
37:35of the vice president,
37:36which at the end of the day
37:37is a constitutional post.
37:40And really,
37:41it should not be subject
37:43to this kind of politicking
37:44that we're seeing today.
37:46It's unfortunate, actually.
37:48All right.
37:49You know,
37:49this is actually
37:49the second highest constitutional post
37:51in India.
37:52There's a news break coming in.
37:54YSRCP,
37:54which had already offered
37:55full support
37:56to the NDA vice president,
37:57Pick,
37:58has pledged
37:59that all its 11 MPs
38:01will vote
38:02for the NDA VP candidate.
38:04And that brings
38:05a question mark
38:06to
38:07why hasn't
38:09the opposition
38:09been able
38:10to at least
38:11woo
38:12the opposition
38:13in the state
38:14of Andhra Pradesh
38:15onto their side?
38:17Lots of questions.
38:18We'll take it
38:18to the Congress spokesperson,
38:19but listen in
38:20to the reactions
38:21coming in on this story.
38:22Our party president's
38:25stand is
38:26always the same.
38:28Posts like president
38:29and vice president,
38:30you should,
38:31as far as possible,
38:32you should try to
38:33elect anonymously.
38:35In that context,
38:35only,
38:36NDA people
38:37first approached,
38:39Central Minister
38:40Rajan Singhji
38:40approached our party
38:41president
38:42before announcing
38:44their candidature itself.
38:46So,
38:46yes,
38:47yes,
38:48sought support
38:48from our party.
38:50Our party president
38:51has told
38:52the same thing
38:52and agreed
38:53to support
38:54NDA candidates.
38:57All right,
38:58so when
38:59Justice Sudarshan Reddy
39:00was asked
39:01about meeting
39:02Lalu Prasad Yadav,
39:04he has
39:06basically
39:08moved on
39:09where he was
39:10questioned by that,
39:12where the reporters
39:13were concerned.
39:13He was asked
39:14on why he took
39:15a picture
39:15with Lalu Yadav
39:16and why he did
39:17go and meet him
39:18and he said
39:20that question
39:20has already been
39:21answered
39:21and he moved on.
39:22All right,
39:23let's cut across
39:24right now
39:25back to our
39:26panelists.
39:27I have Mahima Singh
39:28who continues
39:29to be with me.
39:30Mahima Singh
39:31joining us
39:32right now.
39:33Mahima,
39:34you know,
39:34the fact is,
39:36put the spotlight
39:36on your pick
39:38of vice presidential
39:39candidate.
39:40You have
39:41the chief minister
39:42of Telangana
39:43who has been
39:43camping right now
39:44in Delhi
39:45to still try
39:46and appeal
39:47to the conscience
39:47of Andhra
39:48and Telangana
39:49states.
39:50But the sheer fact,
39:51ma'am,
39:51TDP
39:53is supporting
39:54the NDA.
39:55The opposition
39:55in Andhra,
39:56which ideally
39:56vice RCP
39:57should have gone
39:58with you,
39:58is fully
39:59supporting the NDA.
40:00You have the
40:01BRS
40:01that is refusing
40:02to cast its ballot.
40:04They are abstaining.
40:05The only lone vote
40:06you are getting
40:06from the region
40:07is that one MP,
40:08which is AIMIM,
40:09Mr. Asaduddin Ovesi.
40:10So, Preeti,
40:14the BJP spokesperson,
40:16I was listening
40:16to him very carefully
40:17and he is best known
40:19for dramatization
40:20of debates
40:21and more so
40:23for denigration
40:24and deviation
40:25from the discourse.
40:27You know,
40:28moving forward,
40:28let me bring
40:29the focus
40:30to the vice presidential
40:31election discourse,
40:32which has set on
40:35because finding
40:36its ground
40:36in the unceremonial
40:38resignation.
40:39You are asking me
40:41about our VP
40:42candidate's state
40:44and the support
40:44coming from therein.
40:46What about
40:46the vote-chore party's
40:48choice of candidate?
40:50He comes from
40:50the state of Tamil Nadu.
40:52What about
40:52all the MPs
40:53from Tamil Nadu?
40:54Have they been able
40:55to woo the MPs
40:56from Tamil Nadu?
40:57I think the answer
40:58is very evident
40:59for everybody
41:00to perceive
41:01and understand.
41:02And I must
41:03bring your focus
41:03and your viewers' focus
41:04to the Puri Farmhouse
41:06where former VP
41:08Dhan Khad
41:08is staying
41:09and the heavily
41:10policed
41:11outside of that
41:13farmhouse.
41:14He's not allowed
41:14to speak,
41:15Preeti.
41:16What times
41:17are we living
41:17in, you know,
41:19when there is
41:19an unceremonial
41:20removal of the
41:21vice president
41:22masqueraded
41:23as a resignation
41:24where he's not
41:25allowed to speak
41:26at all after that,
41:27where, you know,
41:28he's not been
41:29given a farewell
41:30by the BJP,
41:31no dinner,
41:32no meeting.
41:33Did CP Radha
41:34Krishnam
41:34go and meet
41:35Dhan Kharji
41:35at least to pay
41:36his regard
41:37and respect?
41:38We did not
41:38see that one.
41:39Justice Sudarshan
41:40ready meeting
41:41the leaders
41:42of the India
41:42bloc,
41:43I think it's
41:44only obvious,
41:44it shows the
41:45low IQ of the
41:46BJP to bring
41:47that under the
41:48spot.
41:49But I think
41:49the vote-chore
41:50party must answer,
41:52we know how
41:52they have secured
41:54power in the
41:55parliament,
41:55whatever,
41:56you know,
41:57reduced number
41:58of seats they
41:58were able to
41:59gain after the
42:00chop for power
42:01after the
42:02constitution
42:03today of course
42:05they are
42:05rattled,
42:06they are
42:06absolutely
42:07baffled because
42:08they know
42:09that there's
42:09going to be
42:10cross-voting
42:10and they know
42:11it's going to
42:12be from within
42:13them and the
42:13Rudy phenomenon
42:14is going to
42:15treat itself.
42:17The Rudy
42:18phenomenon,
42:18you're actually
42:19trying to get
42:20into a
42:20constitutional club
42:21election and
42:22compare it to
42:23the vice
42:23presidential election.
42:24I just want to
42:25give our viewers
42:25perspective because
42:26I'll tell you
42:26what.
42:27Allow me,
42:28ma'am,
42:28allow me,
42:28because I
42:29just want to
42:29give our viewers
42:29perspective because
42:30you speak of
42:31the Rudy
42:31phenomena.
42:32What the
42:32congress
42:32spokesperson is
42:33referring to
42:34is an election
42:34that took place
42:35in the
42:35constitutional club,
42:36a small club
42:36in Delhi where
42:37you had BJP
42:38face off against
42:39the BJP,
42:40you had Raji
42:40Patap Rudy
42:41face off against
42:43Mr. Sanjeev
42:44Balian and Mr.
42:45Rudy won that
42:45election but that
42:47is what Mahima
42:48Singh is trying to
42:50suggest but I
42:50want to bring
42:51in Shahzad Poonawala
42:52into this conversation
42:53back but Shahzad
42:54Poonawala,
42:55you know,
42:55one might cast
42:56any aspersions on
42:57the candidate of
42:58the India
42:59alliance,
43:00the opposition.
43:01But the sheer
43:01fact is you
43:03speak of,
43:04you know,
43:06Mr. Sudarshan
43:06Reddy being
43:07anti-national or
43:08someone who gave
43:10a ruling where
43:10Salwa Judum was
43:11concerned and that
43:13if it was not
43:15the ruling then
43:16Naxalism would have
43:17ended long time
43:17back.
43:18But the sheer
43:18fact, that ruling
43:19happened in 2012.
43:202013 Shahzad Poonawala,
43:22your own party,
43:23wanted him to be the
43:24Lokayukta of the
43:25BJP.
43:26You mooted his
43:27name after that
43:28judgment.
43:30So let me address
43:31this question and
43:31then give me an
43:32opportunity to address
43:33the other things
43:33that Mahima said
43:34as well.
43:34First of all,
43:35I did not use the
43:36word anti-national
43:37for Justice Sudarshan
43:38Reddy.
43:38No, no, I'm
43:39talking about the
43:39BJP, sir, not
43:40you.
43:40No, no.
43:41We are saying that
43:42there is a stand
43:43of pro or soft
43:45Naxalism and I'll
43:46prove it to you.
43:46Forget Sudarshan
43:47Reddy's judgment.
43:48You may have a
43:49different view on it.
43:49Somebody else may
43:50have a different view.
43:51But Telangana
43:52Pradesh Congress
43:53Committee head has
43:53said that we should
43:54be soft towards
43:55Naxals.
43:56Congress's ally,
43:57the left, has said
43:57that there should be
43:58ceasefire when
43:58Naxalism is now
43:59facing its last
44:01dying death and
44:02it will be eradicated
44:03by 2026.
44:04Naxalis have been
44:05called Shaheed by
44:06Supriyash Srinet and
44:07by Kanhaiya Kumar and
44:09I have videos of
44:09both.
44:10So Congress's stand
44:11has been soft even
44:12though they once upon
44:12a time called it an
44:13internal security threat.
44:15Forget Sudarshan
44:15Reddy.
44:16I'm talking about the
44:16force behind Sudarshan
44:17Reddy is pro-Naxalism.
44:19Secondly, I pity the
44:21intellectual depth of
44:22a person who compares
44:23a Constitution Club
44:24election to the
44:25election of the
44:26second highest position
44:27of the Constitution.
44:27By the way, in that
44:28election also, both
44:29were BJP people.
44:31So a BJP man has
44:32only won the
44:32Constitution Club
44:33election and a BJP
44:34man is going to win
44:35the Vice President
44:36election.
44:36I don't know how
44:37Mahima is using this
44:38argument against me.
44:39But anyways, since
44:40she thinks that it is
44:40a great argument to
44:41make, please make it
44:42all day long.
44:43But having said that,
44:44my simple question is
44:45only this now, that
44:46as far as the
44:47Vice President, the
44:48former Vice President
44:49is concerned, you
44:50must have read the
44:50news reports, I read
44:51India Today report.
44:52He has chosen to go
44:53to somebody's private
44:54farmhouse.
44:55After one, one and
44:56a half months or
44:56whatever duration of
44:57time, he has now
44:58applied for a
44:58government bungalow.
44:59He is still the
45:00former Vice President.
45:01He therefore deserves
45:02a protocol and a
45:03particular level of
45:04security which has
45:05been accorded to him.
45:06But those who were
45:07mocking him while he
45:08was on the chair,
45:09those who made fun
45:10of his posture, today
45:10have a bleeding heart.
45:11I have seen many things
45:27in this country, but a
45:29judge standing with a
45:30five-time convict for a
45:32vote.
45:32I have not seen this.
45:34Priti ji, this is how
45:35many difficult situations
45:35you can tell me.
45:38One judge, four
45:39of the
45:40men's
45:40Okay, I'm going to
45:41come back to you, but
45:42Shahzad, you still
45:42haven't answered.
45:43Because after that
45:44judgment which you
45:45found trouble, you
45:46yourself, the BJP, the
45:49BJP itself mooted the
45:50name of Justice Sudarshan
45:51Reddy as the Loka
45:52Yukt of BJP.
45:53I'll come back to you,
45:54but let's listen in on
45:55what Shahzad was
45:55speaking of.
45:56That question was
45:57posed to the Vice
45:58Presidential pick of the
46:00India and the
46:01Opposition Alliance.
46:02Listen in to Justice
46:03or former Justice
46:04Sudarshan Reddy.
46:05All right, so you
46:22have Justice Sudarshan
46:23Reddy saying it's
46:24much ado about
46:24nothing, politics
46:26being played, but I
46:27want to bring in
46:28Aarti Jairat into this
46:28conversation.
46:29Aarti Jairat never,
46:31you know, even at the
46:32last time where the
46:33animosity or the
46:34acrimony between the
46:35India and the India
46:35Alliance, at that time
46:36there was no India
46:37Alliance, was at an
46:38all-time high, which
46:39was, you know, during
46:41Margaret Alwa's election
46:42and Jandeep Dhankar's
46:43election, at that time
46:44there was Margaret Alwa
46:45as the pick of the
46:46India Alliance.
46:47Even then, there were
46:48not personal attacks
46:49like the ones that we
46:50see right now.
46:52You know, the gloves
46:53are completely off.
46:56Absolutely.
46:56And that's what I,
46:58that's what I'm saying,
46:59Preeti.
46:59I mean, in all my
47:00years, I have seen so
47:01many vice
47:02presidential elections and
47:03they have kind of
47:04passed unnoticed
47:05really, because the
47:06numbers have always
47:07been with the ruling
47:08party and the ruling
47:10party has always got its
47:11candidate elected.
47:13This is the first time
47:14that, you know, maybe
47:16it's a closer contest
47:17because the opposition
47:18has much larger numbers
47:20in parliament than it
47:22has had, say, in the
47:23last 10 years.
47:25And, you know, so
47:26that's why we're seeing
47:27this very polarized,
47:28very sharply contested
47:30election.
47:30And, you know, I
47:32mean, it's very sad to
47:34see the kind of
47:35politicking going on.
47:36It's very sad to see
47:37the kind of slurs and
47:38aspersions being cast on
47:40the two candidates.
47:42You know, I mean, I
47:42think both are highly
47:43respected people.
47:44They both come with
47:45their own, you know,
47:47sets of merit and
47:48qualifications.
47:49And at the end of the
47:50day, this is a
47:52constitutional post.
47:53I mean, yes, it's
47:54chairman of the Rajasaba,
47:55but it's also a
47:56constitutional post, the
47:57second highest post in
47:59the country.
48:00And if God forbid
48:01something happens to
48:02the president, the
48:03vice president actually
48:04functions as the
48:05president for some
48:06time.
48:07So, you know, it's a
48:07it's an important
48:08constitutional post.
48:09And I think even the
48:11election deserves the
48:12respect that that
48:13post should get.
48:15And it's very sad to
48:16see it degenerate into
48:17this Ghotala and
48:19Salwa Judom and this
48:21and RSS and so on
48:22so forth.
48:23You know, I mean,
48:24that's not really the
48:25issue at stake here
48:26today.
48:27The issue at stake here
48:28is that there are two
48:30alliances that are put
48:31up candidates and, you
48:32know, let the best man
48:33win.
48:34It's as simple as that.
48:36Well, this was an
48:37election which did get
48:38a bit, you know,
48:39muddied or dirty in
48:41terms of the post
48:41of the tax on either
48:42sides and it came
48:43flying from either
48:44sides of the divide.
48:45All right.
48:46What we're going to do
48:47is going to take final
48:48comments from our
48:49panelists and then we're
48:50going to get into a
48:51quick break.
48:52Shrezaad Poonawala,
48:53final comments there.
48:54Go ahead, sir.
48:54First of all, I'm glad
48:56that Arati has taken
48:57that principal stand
48:59and just know on your
48:59show, the vice president
49:00election was compared
49:02with a constitution
49:03club election, a club
49:04election.
49:05I think nothing could
49:06have desecrated the
49:07importance of this
49:08election anymore.
49:09And the moment we
49:10had announced Radhakrishnan,
49:11a proud Tamilian, he
49:12was abused as a
49:13sangee.
49:14Sangee aagaya,
49:15Sangee aagaya.
49:15Today I asked the
49:16people of DMK, they
49:17are watching, they
49:18watch your show,
49:18Priti.
49:19DMK people I'm
49:20asking, are you going
49:21to do justice to
49:22Tamil Nadu or are
49:23you going to allow
49:24these people who
49:24abuse Tamil Nadu to
49:25get away with it?
49:26They have to take a
49:27conscience call.
49:29Okay.
49:29All right.
49:29Maima Singh, quickly
49:30come in.
49:31Go ahead, Ma, make
49:32your point.
49:32You wanted to come
49:33in earlier as well.
49:34We'll do another
49:35round, but go ahead.
49:35So first I'll make
49:36the point I wanted
49:37to make earlier
49:38because the BJP
49:39spokesperson was
49:40talking about, you
49:41know, an
49:42unprecedented stance
49:44by a judge.
49:45I must remind when
49:46Justice Ranjan
49:47Gogoi took a
49:49suor-moto
49:49cognizance of a
49:50case against himself
49:51of sexual
49:52harassment and
49:54then the BJP
49:54brings him as a
49:55nominated Rajasabha
49:56MP, I think that
49:57is a very
49:58unprecedented step
50:00and the BJP
50:01has many such
50:02unprecedented steps
50:03in its kitty.
50:04But coming back
50:05to today's election,
50:06I think the
50:07question remains,
50:08why was there,
50:08he talks about
50:09the protocol for
50:10the former
50:11vice president.
50:12Agreed.
50:13Justice, sorry,
50:14you know,
50:15VP Dhankar,
50:16former VP Dhankar
50:16deserves all the
50:17protocol and all
50:19other, you know,
50:20security for
50:21himself, but why
50:22no farewell?
50:23The BJP must
50:24answer that.
50:24Why is he not
50:25allowed to speak?
50:26Why has he been
50:27kept under, you
50:29know, such heavy
50:29watch?
50:30And coming back to
50:31today's election,
50:32Preeti, whatever be
50:33the result, we would
50:34have put up a good
50:35fight at the end of
50:35the day.
50:36We would have brought
50:37the constitutional
50:38principles amidst the
50:40thick of the debate
50:41today.
50:42We would have
50:42challenged the
50:43vote-chore party to
50:45think twice before
50:46they again say
50:47constitution madal
50:48denge.
50:49Mahima Singh,
50:50allow me to ask
50:50you one question
50:51because that's
50:52something that has
50:52been, you know,
50:53debated, especially
50:55something that has
50:56been alleged by the
50:57BJP that the party
50:59is not serious
50:59enough.
51:00You are putting all
51:01your baskets in
51:02appealing to the
51:03conscience of the
51:05MPs.
51:05What could have
51:06happened was better
51:07floor management.
51:08Look at what's
51:08happening since the
51:09course of the
51:10morning.
51:10You have, like I
51:11said, BJP leaders
51:12in charge where,
51:15all right, okay, so,
51:16you know, word
51:17coming in from the
51:18PCR, these visuals
51:18that you see are
51:20Mr. CP Radhakrishnan's
51:21family.
51:21They are performing
51:22a puja in
51:23Coimbatore, if I'm
51:23not wrong, that's
51:24where he's from,
51:25and a bandara and
51:28a puja there for
51:29him because it's,
51:31all right, all right,
51:36so these visuals
51:36coming in there where
51:37the family of CP
51:38Radhakrishnan who in
51:39all probabilities will
51:40be the 14th vice
51:41president of the
51:42country, they're
51:43holding a puja and
51:46a bandara there.
51:47You can see these
51:47visuals coming in
51:48from Tirupur,
51:51Tabilnadu, not
51:52Coimbatore.
51:53All right, with
51:54these visuals let me
51:54go back to our
51:56panelists there and
51:58once again the
51:59question that I was
52:00asking you, Mahima
52:00Singh, comes from
52:01the fact that there's
52:02man-to-man marking,
52:04there's floor
52:04management.
52:05While there is an
52:06appeal to the
52:07conscience, there's
52:08all of that that is
52:09taking place on the
52:09sidelines.
52:10The criticism is
52:13also that your
52:13leader of opposition
52:14Rahul Gandhi has
52:15been traveling, he
52:16could have been in
52:17the country right
52:18before the VP
52:18elections trying to
52:19rally his forces and
52:20bolster them with
52:22hopefully getting in
52:23MPs from the other
52:24side of the divide.
52:26You know, unlike the
52:28Vote Chori party which
52:29runs this country with
52:30a presidential mindset,
52:32Priti, we are a
52:33party which believes in
52:34the constitution and
52:35the parliamentary
52:36structure of this
52:37political democracy
52:40that we are and I
52:41would say that our
52:42protocols have been
52:43in place.
52:44But before parting
52:45from your show today,
52:46I must make a very
52:47significant point,
52:48Priti, and you must
52:49bring it to the
52:50discourse for the
52:51rest of the day.
52:52Justice B.V.
52:52Nagaratna, who is
52:54all set to become the
52:55first woman CGI in the
52:57years to, in the next
52:58couple of years to
52:59come, has upheld the
53:01Salwa Jodham judgment
53:02just this May, May
53:032025.
53:04And she has
53:06upheld it, rightly
53:07so, because it was
53:08earlier held up by a
53:10three-judge bench after
53:11it was pronounced.
53:12So it's a Supreme
53:13Court judgment.
53:14The BJP is mistaken
53:15and fails to read the
53:1640-page judgment.
53:18All right, ma'am.
53:1930 seconds,
53:20Shahzad Poonawalla,
53:21make your final points
53:21and then we're going
53:22to head into a quick
53:23break.
53:23We'll bring in Aarti
53:23for 20.
53:24When they accuse
53:25Justice Sudarshan
53:26that...
53:26Share point, ma'am.
53:26Allow now.
53:27Ma'am, you've been
53:28given enough time.
53:28Yes.
53:29They accuse B.V.
53:30Nagaratna also.
53:31They accuse Justice
53:32B.V.
53:32Nagaratna if they
53:33accuse Justice Reddy
53:34for that.
53:35Ma'am, you've made
53:35your point.
53:35You've made your
53:36point.
53:36But I said,
53:37after the 2012
53:38judgment, the BJP
53:39themselves pushed
53:40for Mr. Reddy as
53:42Lokai.
53:43Go ahead, sir.
53:43Make your point.
53:44Preeti, I just hope
53:46that if you don't
53:47think of the debate
53:49because when they
53:50say vote-chori,
53:51today's election
53:52is being done
53:52by ballot.
53:53So will they
53:53accept the result
53:54or will they say
53:55that the ballot
53:55was still on the ballot,
53:56voter list was still on the ballot,
53:57there's not EVM.
53:59Anyway, having said that,
54:00I just want to say
54:01that today...
54:02Ma'am, allow, allow.
54:04Same respect
54:05that you were accorded.
54:06No, no, no.
54:07He's again and again
54:08talking about the intelligence.
54:09You know, Preeti,
54:09this is so unfair.
54:10Ma'am, allow the same respect.
54:12Ma'am, allow the same respect
54:14that you were accorded.
54:15Ma'am, he didn't speak
54:16when you were saying.
54:17Use the time
54:18in whichever way
54:18you want to use it.
54:19Shahzad Purnawala,
54:20make your point.
54:20See, Preeti ji,
54:21it's not my fault
54:22that if Congress
54:23also believes that
54:24Rahul being kept away
54:25from an election
54:25betters their chance.
54:27That's why probably
54:28they told Rahul,
54:29Khadge ji told Rahul,
54:30Rahul, you go out here.
54:31We'll check it out
54:32and then you'll vote
54:33only on the last day.
54:35Did he go for
54:36their training program?
54:37This is their need.
54:38Anyway, I did not
54:39want to descend it to this.
54:40I just want to appeal
54:41once again
54:42through your office,
54:43through the channel
54:43that all people
54:44who care for Tamil Nadu,
54:46who care for the interests
54:47of this country,
54:48integrity,
54:49they must vote
54:50for Mr. Radhakrishmaji.
54:5120 seconds.
54:53Aarti Jairat,
54:53I want to bring you in
54:54very quickly.
54:55What are you going
54:55to be keenly watching?
54:56Like, I'd like to watch
54:57Rashid Engineer
54:58coming in from jail,
54:59Amrit Pal
54:59coming in from jail,
55:01Sonia Gandhi
55:01and Khadge,
55:03Mr. Malik Arjun Khadge
55:04coming in to cast their vote.
55:05But Aarti Jairat,
55:06what are you going
55:06to be looking at today?
55:08I'm going to be looking
55:09at the India numbers,
55:11or rather,
55:13the number of votes
55:13that the opposition
55:15candidate has got
55:16and whether,
55:17you know,
55:18the numbers add up
55:19to the combined strength
55:21of the India bloc parties.
55:23And I think
55:24that is really key
55:25because what is really
55:26key here is
55:27that the opposition,
55:29it is really incumbent
55:31on the opposition
55:32to stay united
55:33if they want to show
55:36a facade of unity
55:37in Parliament.
55:39So their numbers
55:40are very,
55:41very key.
55:42I think the NDA,
55:43it's a done deal
55:44as far as the NDA
55:45candidate is concerned.
55:46I think the next
55:47vice president
55:47is going to be
55:48Mr. CP Radha Krishnan.
55:50So, you know,
55:51and yes,
55:52okay,
55:53even if they get
55:53a few more
55:54than their official
55:56numbers are,
55:57it's a ruling party
55:58and naturally
55:59they will attract,
56:00you know,
56:01votes of,
56:01say,
56:01independence
56:02for smaller parties.
56:03The key question is
56:05whether the India bloc
56:06stays united
56:07through this election
56:08or not.
56:08The India bloc
56:09stays united or not.
56:10What will be
56:11the margin of victory?
56:12These visuals coming in,
56:13the prime minister
56:14was the first one to vote.
56:15He's since left
56:15for Punjab and Himachal
56:17where he is
56:19visiting the states
56:20after they were flood hit,
56:21flood relief there.
56:22But right after him,
56:24many MPs have come in
56:26to cast their vote.
56:27Shortly,
56:28just some time ago,
56:29you had Malik Arjun Karge,
56:30you have the civil aviation
56:31minister there,
56:32you had Sonia Gandhi,
56:34you had Mr. Hardy Puri,
56:35Nitin Gadgari,
56:36all of them coming in
56:38to cast their vote.
56:40Nishikant Dube,
56:42so Nishikant Dube,
56:44they're waiting in line.
56:46You have BJ Panda
56:47right behind him,
56:49Priyanka Gandhi as well.
56:51So you can see in that line
56:54all of them queuing up
56:56to cast their vote.
56:57So Nishikant Dube,
56:58BJ Panda,
56:59Priyanka Gandhi
57:00is what you can see
57:01on these visuals there.
57:03The total strength viewers,
57:04I'll once again get you
57:05what are the details
57:07of this election,
57:08the Electoral College
57:09for the Vice President,
57:10Rahul Gandhi.
57:11Rahul Gandhi has also come in,
57:13the leader of opposition,
57:14to cast his vote.
57:15He'll also be,
57:16in all practicality,
57:17joining that queue
57:18along with his sister.
57:19So the Electoral College viewers,
57:22where it comes down
57:23to the Vice Presidential elections,
57:25comprises both of Lok Sabha
57:27and Rajya Sabha MPs.
57:30And the Lok Sabha MPs
57:32right now stand at 542,
57:35which was one less
57:36after the demise
57:37of the Bashir Hart MP.
57:40Dr. Nasir Hussain,
57:42Congress MP,
57:43along with Miss Sonia Gandhi,
57:45casting her vote.
57:46She's exiting
57:47and you can see
57:48Nishikam Dube there
57:49standing right in front.
57:51All right.
57:51So, yeah,
57:52like I pointed out viewers,
57:53the Rajya Sabha
57:54and Lok Sabha MPs
57:55together combine
57:56to make the Electoral College
57:58of the Vice President.
57:59And this time around,
58:01you have the strength
58:03of the Lok Sabha
58:04at 543,
58:06the Rajya Sabha at 239.
58:07But if you take away
58:08those who have decided
58:09to abstain,
58:11then the total strength
58:12of the House
58:12comes to 770,
58:14which makes the halfway mark
58:15386.
58:19386 now is that magic figure
58:22which the NDA
58:24and the India Alliance
58:26or the opposition
58:27needs to reach.
58:28The NDA right now
58:30stands at 422,
58:32which is 31 over
58:34the halfway mark.
58:36So they are quite comfortable
58:37in that respect,
58:38over 35 actually now,
58:40in that respect.
58:41and you have
58:43the India Alliance
58:44which stands at 311,
58:46which is 80 votes
58:48less than the halfway mark.
58:49So ultimately,
58:50viewers,
58:51it's going to come down
58:52on what will be
58:52the margin of victory.
58:54And that is where
58:55the election
58:56will be fought.
58:58Man-to-man marking,
58:59every vote counts
59:00because bragging rights
59:02is something
59:02which is most touted
59:04for where politics
59:06is concerned.
59:07Who will have
59:08the bragging rights
59:09by the end of this election
59:11while the election
59:12is clearly in the bag
59:13of the NDA?
59:15What will be
59:16that margin?
59:17Will the India Alliance
59:19lose out?
59:19will the India
59:21gain more votes?