Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu hails Venkaiah’s candidature for VP’s post

BJP chief Amit Shah called Naidu on Sunday evening to confirm that he was going to be NDA’s vice-presidential candidate. Naidu, the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Urban Development, would be pitted against the 17-member Opposition’s joint nominee Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

The BJP chief further said that Naidu will fill his nomination for the post on Tuesday at 11 AM.

Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu, who was Monday named as NDA candidate for the post of Vice President, may become the third Telugu person to occupy the key constitutional post. Shah indicated that he would like the decision before he leaves for Ahmedabad to vote in the Presidential election as a Gujarat MLA on Monday. Although it was known in the corridors of power that M Venkaiah Naidu’s name was in the reckoning, sources said he was sounded out around the same time.

The elections for the 13th Vice-President of India, if required, will be held on 5 August with the counting too taking place on the same day. He rose to become one of the most popular leaders of the BJP in Andhra Pradesh.

The likely victor, Ram Nath Kovind, 71, is the former governor of the eastern state of Bihar and a longtime associate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or National Volunteer Corps, a Hindu group that has always been accused of stoking religious hatred against Muslims.

“From Usha pati, you are finally becoming Uparashtrapati”, senior CPM MP Sitaram Yechury said referring to Naidu’s earlier comment that he was “Usha’s pati (husband) and did not want to become the rashtrapati (President)”.

July 18 is the last date for filing of nomination for the post of Vice-President. While making the announcement, Shah recalled the vast parliamentary experience Naidu has gained in his political career since he joined politics in 1970.

Mishra said the final figures from four states – Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Tripura – were still awaited. In this election only the 790 members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including the nominated members, can cast their vote. “The years of parliamentary experience Venkaiah Naidu has will help him discharge the important role of Rajya Sabha Chairperson”, he tweeted.

Venkaiah hails from Nellore and it was already stated that RSS was in favour of fielding a candidate who belong to upper caste and from South India. He has also represented Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha.