Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh has been announced as NDA nominee for Vice Presidential election.
BJP-led National Democratic Alliance met on Monday at the residence of
senior BJP leader L K Advani and decided his name as NDA nominee for
Vice Presidential polls to be held on 7th August.
Now he will contest against UPA’s nominee and incumbent Vice-President Hamid Ansari.
NDA was keen to put JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav as their nominee, but he declined the offer.
The
BJP leader indicated that the NDA would reach out to all such parties
which have not committed their support to the UPA nominee.
Reacting
to his nomination, 74-year-old Jaswant Singh said, "It is a matter of
great respect that the NDA has unanimously chosen me as their candidate
for the post of Vice President. It is a big responsibility and also a
challenge".
UPA's candidate for the Vice President's post isHamid
Ansari
Incumbent Hamid
Ansari is the UPA's candidate for the Vice President's post in the
meeting of the Congress-led coalition at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's
residence and is all set to get a second consecutive term.
The name of the 75-year-old Ansari was announced by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at a meeting of the Congress-led coalition at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence in New Delhi on Saturday.
A career diplomat,
Ansari was the only choice of the UPA which was approved at the meeting,
also attended by Trinamool Congress representative and Railway Minister
Mukul Roy.
Manmohan Singh also spoke to BJP leader LK Advani before UPA meeting to seek NDA's support.
"PM ringed up Mamata Banerjee seeking support of Trinamool Congress for Hamid Ansari," said Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh. Trinamool Congress on Saturday said it would soon take a decision on Hamid Ansari as the UPA's Vice Presidential nominee.
Roy, whose party had opposed Pranab Mukherjee's candidature for President's post last month, is believed to have suggested the name of former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi and former MP Krishna Bose.
However, he applauded the candidature of Ansari once Gandhi announced it.
"Mohd Hamid Ansari will complete shortly a term as Vice President of India. He has presided over the Rajya Sabha with dignity and distinction".
"The UPA is honoured to nominate him as its candidate for a second term as Vice President of India," Gandhi said in her brief statement.
The Prime Minister proposed Ansari's name and sought the suggestions of the leaders present.
Later Gandhi made the announcement.
As of now, Ansari enjoys a clear edge in August 7 poll.
In an electoral college of 790 MPs, he has the likely backing of over 500 MPs.
In the last election, he had polled 455 votes against 222 of Najma Heptullah fielded by NDA.
At that time, Ansari's candidature was floated by the Left parties, which were key outside supporters of the UPA.
Home Minister P Chidambaram later said "all leaders" present at the UPA meeting "accepted" the candidature of Ansari.
Asked whether Mukul Roy supported Ansari's candidature, Chidambaram said he "applauded" the announcement.
Roy, however, had a different line as he made it clear that he had not supported Ansari's candidature.
"But as Ansari's name was proposed by the Congress, we said we will take a decision after consulting with our leadership," he told reporters.
"I will convey today's decision to our party leadership and we will let you know our decision soon," he said.
The Prime Minister and Gandhi spoke to Ansari and offered him congratulations, Chidambaram said.
The Vice President accepted his nomination.
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