VP poll: Alva congratulates Dhankhar; says battle to protect Constitution to continue

New Delhi, Aug 6: The Opposition's Vice Presidential candidate Margaret Alva on Saturday congratulated NDA's Jagdeep Dhankhar for winning the poll and noted that while this election is over, the battle for protecting the Constitution, strengthening democracy and restoring Parliament's dignity will continue.

She hit out at some opposition parties for supporting the BJP in this election "directly or indirectly" and said it was an attempt to "derail" the idea of a united opposition.

Alva said she believes that by supporting the BJP in this election, such parties and leaders have damaged their own credibility.

"Congratulations to Mr Dhankhar on being elected Vice President! I would like to thank all the leaders of the Opposition, and MPs from across parties who voted for me in this election.

"Also, all the volunteers for their selfless service during our short but intense campaign," she said soon after Dhankhar was declared elected as the 14th Vice President of India.

Dhankhar, a former governor of West Bengal, secured 528 votes while 80-year-old Alva got 182.

"This election was an opportunity for the opposition to work together, to leave the past behind and build trust among each other. Unfortunately, some opposition parties chose to directly or indirectly support the BJP, in an attempt to derail the idea of a united opposition.

"It is my belief that by doing so, these parties and their leaders have damaged their own credibility," she said in an apparent dig at the opposition parties who extended their support to NDA in this election.

"This election is over. The battle for protecting our Constitution, strengthening our democracy and restoring the dignity of Parliament, will continue," she also said in a series of tweets.

The Trinamool Congress with 36 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, abstained from this election. Some other parties like the BSP and SAD extended their support to NDA's Dhankhar. PTI SKC NSD