Ansari set to be re-elected Vice President

New Delhi UPA's Hamid Ansari is all set to be re-elected as brisk polling was witnessed in the Vice Presidential polls with the UPA gaining the upper hand over the NDA candidate Jaswant Singh. The prime minister, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi came together to cast their ballot. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad were among those who voted. Ansari's candidature is being backed by Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), CPM, National Conference and also the Left parties. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) is also expected to vote for Ansari. Congress leaders said they hoped Ansari would get over 500 votes in an electoral college currently having an estimated 787 members. Jaswant Singh has the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Janata Dal-United, the Shiv Sena, the Akali Dal, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and several other smaller parties. Biju Janata Dal's decision to abstain from voting in the Vice Presidential election also comes as a blow to Jaswant Singh's chances to the top post. Voting began at 10 a.m. and will continue till 5 p.m. Counting of votes will be taken up at 6 p.m. The Vice President is elected by members of an electoral college consisting of members of both houses of parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha are also entitled to take part in the election.