August 13, 2002	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Saani 3, 1423

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NEW DELHI, Aug 12: Indian legislators on Monday elected a senior member of the ruling BJP, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, to the largely ceremonial position of vice president, officials said.

Shekhawat, the former chief minister of Rajasthan and a nominee of the ruling party, defeated his nearest rival, a joint opposition-sponsored candidate, Sushil Kumar Shinde, by a margin of 149 votes.

In a vote of MPs of both houses of the parliament, Shekhawat polled 454 votes against Shinde’s 305.

Shekhawat was the clear favourite because of the ruling coalition’s combined strength in parliament. He is the 12th vice president of India.

The previous vice president, Krishan Kant, died last month aged 75 of a heart attack. Nonetheless, an election for the post had been due with Kant’s five-year term to have ended this month.—AFP