Vice Presidential poll on Tuesday, Ansari appears as clear favourite

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The election to the country's Vice President scheduled for Tuesday is expected to throw no surprises, with UPA backed candidate Dr. Hamid Ansari appears as clear favourite against his rival, the NDA backed Jaswant Singh.

Ansari has the support of the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahuja Samaj Party (BSP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), CPM, National Conference and several others.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) is also expected to vote for Hamid Ansari.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has announced that it would abstain from voting in the vice-presidential election.

Jaswant Singh, who has the committed support of the BJP, Janata Dal-United, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and several other smaller parties, on Monday sought the support of Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief J. Jayalalithaa for the election.

The Vice President is elected through a direct ballot with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members (including nominated) comprising the Electoral College.