'Result was foreordained but Gita teaches...': Shashi Tharoor lauds Margaret Alva for fighting with 'grace'

Former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday was elected as the next Vice-President of India. Margaret Alva lost the Vice Presidential elections by a huge margin.

Pic Credit: File Photo

New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, on Saturday, congratulated Margaret Alva for contesting in the Vice Presidential polls with 'grace' even though she lost to NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankar. He expressed that she fought thoroughly with 'conviction' regardless of the expected outcome. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "Congratulations @alva_margaret for fighting the good fight with grace & conviction. The result was foreordained, but as the Gita teaches us, one must do the right thing without heed to the outcome."

Congratulations @alva_margaret for fighting the good fight with grace & conviction. The result was foreordained, but as the Gita teaches us, one must do the right thing without heed to the outcome. https://t.co/wbGtHhAv7x

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 6, 2022

Former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday was elected as the next Vice-President of India. According to the Election Commission, Dhankhar -- the NDA nominee, secured a total of 528 first preference votes, while Opposition candidate Margaret Alva received 182 votes.

Making her first reaction after losing to Dhankhar, Alva said that the vice-presidential is over, but the "battle for protecting our constitution, strengthening our democracy and restoring the dignity of Parliament, will continue"

After Dhankar's win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu congratulated him.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Dhankhar and said that the country will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom. Describing Dhankar as "Kisan Putra", he said that the new Vice President has "excellent legal knowledge and intellectual prowess".

Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji on being elected India’s Vice President with resounding support across party lines. I am confident he will be an outstanding Vice President. Our nation will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom. @jdhankhar1 pic.twitter.com/YD8BHb512W

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2022

"Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji on being elected India`s Vice President with resounding support across party lines. I am confident he will be an outstanding Vice President. Our nation will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom," the prime minister tweeted.

(With agency inputs)