With neither candidate withdrawing their nomination, the vice-presidential election on September 9 will see a direct contest between ruling NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy.

Both contenders hail from southern India, with Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu and Reddy from Telangana.

The opposition has termed the election an ideological battle, though the numbers favour the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), according to news agency PTI.