The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance’s candidate Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday was elected the new vice president of India. He was up against former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was unanimously nominated by 18 Opposition parties.

The voting began at 10 am on Saturday and went on till 5 pm. Naidu got 516 votes, while Gandhi received 244. Of the 785 MPs who are eligible for voting, 771 – as many as 98.21% – had cast their vote. However, 11 votes were declared invalid, reported ANI.

The total strength of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is 790. However, there are two vacancies each in the Lower House and the Upper House while BJP MP in Lok Sabha Chhedi Paswan was barred from casting his vote following a court order.

Congress MPs Mausam Noor and Ranee Narah, Nationalist Congress Party’s Udayan Raje Bhonsle, Pattali Makkal Katchi’s Anbumani Ramadoss, Indian Union Muslim League’s Abdul Wahab and PK Kunhallikutty did not vote in the election, ANI reported. The list also included Bharatiya Janata Party’s Vijay Goel and Sanwar Lal Jat, Trinamool Congress’ Kunal Ghosh, Tapas Paul, Pratima Mondal and Abhishek Banerjee, and Independent MPs Anu Agha and Naba Kumar Saraniya.

The NDA had the support of regional parties such as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSR Congress. Naidu’s victory was almost certain as the BJP on Thursday had taken over as the single largest party in the Upper House, with 58 legislators as against the Congress’ 57. The NDA has 337 seats in the Lok Sabha and 80 in the Rajya Sabha.

Current Vice President Hamid Ansari’s term ends on August 10. He held the post for two consecutive terms.