Wishes poured in for Jagdeep Dhankhar after he was elected as India's next vice president on Saturday, defeating Opposition candidate Margaret Alva.
He got 528 votes against Margaret Alva who secured 182.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first to meet Jagdeep Dhankhar at the latter's residence soon after the election result was announced.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Minister Piyush Goyal were among the top leaders who met Jagdeep Dhankhar soon after the victory.
Extending wishes to Vice president-elect Jagdeep Dhankhar on the occasion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Upper House will benefit from his experience.
"The election of Kisan Putra as the Vice President of India is a matter of joy for the whole country. Dhankhar ji has been continuously associated with the public in his long public life. The Upper House will definitely benefit from a close understanding of the ground issues and his experience," Amit Shah tweeted in Hindi.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Jagdeep Dhankhar's deep understanding of people's issues will benefit the nation.
"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," Rajnath Singh tweeted.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, extending wishes to the vice-president-elect, expressed confidence in his tenure being a "complete success".
"Hearty congratulations to respected @jdhankhar1 ji on being elected as the Vice-President of the country. It is a matter of pride for the country that you have been elected as the Vice President. I am sure that your tenure as Vice-President will be a complete success," Nitin Gadkari tweeted.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his wishes and said that Dhankhar's journey from being a farmer's family to the second highest constitutional post in the country will strengthen people's faith in democracy.
"Hearty congratulations to Jagdeep Dhankhar ji, the candidate of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the post of Honorable Vice President of India. Your journey from a farmer family to Hon'ble Vice President strengthens people's faith in democracy. The whole country will get the benefit of your vast experience and the glory of the Rajya Sabha will reach newer heights," Yogi Adityanath tweeted in Hindi.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Rajya Sabha will set "new paradigms" for the country's development under his chairmanship.
"Hearty congratulations to Jagdeep Dhankhar ji, elected as Vice President, best wishes. Under your patronage, Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, will set new paradigms for the country's development, public welfare, efforts for the upliftment of the weaker sections, it is our belief. I wish you the best of luck again," Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh, who was the presiding officer for the 16th Vice Presidential election, said that of the 780 Members of Parliament (MPs) eligible to cast votes, 725 MPs cast their vote. Fifteen votes were found invalid and 710 votes were valid.
The polling to elect the new vice president began at 10 am today and concluded at 5 pm. The counting of votes began after 6 pm.
PM Modi was amongst the first leaders to cast his vote. Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh and BJP president JP Nadda also cast their votes. Dr Manmohan Singh arrived in a wheelchair to cast his vote. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also cast his vote besides other MPs.
The next Vice President of the country will take the oath of office on August 11, a day after the term of the incumbent Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu ends.
Janata Dal (United), YSRCP, BSP, and AIADMK had announced support for Jagdeep Dhankhar. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) extended support to Margaret Alva. The Trinamool Congress abstained from the vote.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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