Why NDA picked Jagdeep Dhankhar as its Vice-President nominee
Jagdeep Dhankhar filed his nomination on Monday.
National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Vice-Presidential candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar filed his nomination on Monday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders supporting his bid.
NDA Vice Presidential candidate Shri Jagdeep Dhankar files nomination. https://t.co/NkW45MBXHK
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 18, 2022
"Never even in my dreams did I think a person with a humble background like me would get this opportunity. I am grateful to PM Modi and the leadership for giving a humble man from 'kisan family' like me such a historic opportunity," Dhankhar said after filing his nomination.
Making the announcement Dhankhar as NDA's Vice-President nominee on Saturday, BJP president JP Nadda called the former West Bengal Governor a “kisan putra”.
प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi के नेतृत्व में 'सबका साथ, सबका विकास, सबका विश्वास और सबका प्रयास' के मंत्र को लेकर हम चले हैं।
— BJP (@BJP4India) July 17, 2022
हम सभी राजनीतिक दलों से अपील करते हैं कि NDA के उप राष्ट्रपति पद के उम्मीदवार किसान पुत्र श्री जगदीप धनखड़ का समर्थन करें।
- श्री @JPNadda pic.twitter.com/j1Nxs7VQyg
Opposition candidate: Opposition parties have picked former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva as their candidate for the Vice-Presidential election. The decision was announced by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar after a meeting by the Opposition parties in Delhi.
आज नॉन-बीजेपी राजनैतिक दलों के कई साथीयों से हमारी बातचीत हुई। देश के उपराष्ट्रपती चुनाव के लिये हमने श्रीमती मार्गारेट अल्वाजी को उम्मीदवार घोषित करने का निर्णय लिया है। pic.twitter.com/RxB8Fch4iP
— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) July 17, 2022
The VP election: The Vice President election is slated to be held on August 6th and the last date for filing of nominations is July 19. The counting of votes will also take place on August 6th.
Why Jagdeep Dhankhar: As we know, Dhankhar was one of the most vocal Governors in the country. He has been involved in constant tussle with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Not only that, once he becomes the Rajya Sabha Chairman, Dhankhar's political and legal experience may help the BJP in passing bills in the Upper House and facilitating agreements to run the House where Opposition leaders are more active, reported India Today.
How Vice-President of India is elected: The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament, in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting in such election is by secret ballot. The Electoral College to elect a person to the office of the Vice-President consists of all members of both Houses of Parliament.
For the 16th Vice-Presidential Election, 2022, the Electoral College consists of 233 elected members of Rajya Sabha, 12 nominated members of Rajya Sabha, and 543 elected members of Lok Sabha, adding up to 788 members. In the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote, the elector has to mark preferences against the names of the candidates.