Vice-President poll: Voting gets underway, Ansari looks set to win

New Delhi - 07 Aug 2012 (PTI): UPA nomineeHamid Ansariappears set to win a second term as voting in vice-presidential elections got underway on Tuesday.

Ansari has the support of UPA's allies, the Left and also other parties supporting the govt from outside.

A total of 788 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs are eligible to vote in the poll to elect the 14th Vice-President.

UPA managers are confident that 75-year-old Ansari will get at least 500 votes.

Congress has 204 members in Lok Sabha and 71 in Rajya Sabha.

UPA constituentsTrinamool Congresshas 19 MPs in Lok Sabha and 9 in Rajya Sabha, DMK has 18 members in Lok Sabha and 7 in Rajya Sabha, NCP 9 in Lok Sabha and 7 in Rajya Sabha and RLD has 5 in Lok Sabha.

National Conference has 3 in Lok Sabha and 2 in Rajya Sabha.

Besides, SP with its 22 members in Lok Sabha and 9 in Rajya Sabha and BSP with its 21 in Lok Sabha and 15 in Rajya Sabha are backing Ansari who is also being backed by the entire Left block with 38 members in both Houses of Parliament.

Unlike the presidential poll held last month, which had split NDA with JD-U andShiv Senabreaking ranks to vote for UPA candidatePranab Mukherjee, Jaswant Singh has the backing of a united NDA for his vice-presidential bid.

BJP has 114 members in Lok Sabha and 49 in Rajya Sabha, JD-U 20 and 9, Shiv Sena 11 and 4 and SAD 4 and 3.

While AIADMK, which has 14 MPs in Parliament, has announced its support to Jaswant's candidature, BJD with 18 members in Lok Sabha and 7 in the Rajya Sabha has decided to abstain from voting.

Ahead of the poll, UPA chaipersonSonia Gandhion Monday hosted a lunch for UPA constituents and the parties supporting it from outside, projecting a complete picture of unity.