INDIA bloc’s Vice-Presidential candidate, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy, on Tuesday expressed confidence in his victory while clarifying that he never claimed cross-voting would occur in the election.

The contest is between NDA’s nominee, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, and Reddy, fielded by the Opposition alliance.

Speaking to reporters, Reddy said, “I am very confident about the win. My effort is to awaken the conscience of the people. I did not say there would be cross-voting.”

The Vice-Presidential post, which also carries the responsibility of chairing the Rajya Sabha, fell vacant following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation on July 21 citing health reasons.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also sounded upbeat, asserting that Reddy’s win was certain. “Our Opposition candidate will surely win. All parties are coming together in the spirit of democracy to ensure Sudershan Reddy’s victory. That is our objective,” he said.

The electoral college for the Vice-Presidential election comprises 781 members—542 elected MPs from the Lok Sabha and 239 from the Rajya Sabha (233 elected and 12 nominated, with six current vacancies). The majority mark stands at 391. Voting is being conducted through secret ballot, with counting scheduled for later in the day.

While political analysts note the NDA’s numerical strength in Parliament, they also expect a closely tracked contest, with speculation around cross-voting adding to the suspense. The results will be announced this evening.