BJP picks Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for Vice President

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar will be the NDA candidate for Vice Presidential polls.

BJP chief J.P. Nadda announced the name of Dhankhar as the NDA candidate after the Parliamentary Board meeting at party headquarters here.

"After detailed discussion and considering all the names, the BJP Parliamentary Board has decided to announce the name of Kisan Putra Jagdeep Dhankhar as the BJP and NDA candidate for the post of Vice President. Presently he is the Governor of West Bengal and has been in public life for almost three decades," Nadda said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief J.P. Nadda, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present in the Parliamentary Board meeting.

The BJP-led NDA candidate Dhankhar is all set to become next Vice President in this election as the voters are the members of Parliament and the BJP has a huge mandate in the Lok Sabha while in the Rajya Sabha it is the single largest party having more than 90 seats.

In the last election, the opposition fielded Gopalkrishna Gandhi but he lost to BJP's M Venkaiah Naidu. In 2017, Naidu polled 516 votes defeating the opposition's Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who could manage only 244 votes.

The last date for filing of nomination papers for the Vice President poll is July 19 and election is scheduled to be held on August 6. The date on which counting, if required, shall be taken on the same day.

Soon after the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and wrote, "Kisan Putra Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji is known for his humility. He brings with him an illustrious legal, legislative and gubernatorial career. He has always worked for the well-being of farmers, youth, women and the marginalised. Glad that he will be our VP candidate."

"Heartiest Congratulations to Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji on being selected as the NDA nominee for the Vice President of India post.
A son of the soil, former member of Parliament and Governor of a state, Shri Dhankhar Ji brings along a lot of experience, needed for the house& the nation," tweeted BJP National vice-president Baijayant Panda.