New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary board is expected to convene on Sunday, August 17, to finalise the ruling National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) nominee for the Vice-Presidential post.
The NDA has already empowered Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president J.P. Nadda to take the final call on the candidate’s name. The deadline for filing nominations is August 21.
According to party insiders, the nomination-filing process will be a high-profile affair, with chief ministers, deputy chief ministers, Union ministers, and senior NDA leaders set to accompany the candidate. Parliament’s Monsoon Session, which resumes on August 18 after a brief recess, is also likely to see the NDA nominee participate in a strategy meeting with alliance leaders ahead of the formal submission.
Multiple sets of nomination papers will be submitted in support of the candidate, reflecting the ruling coalition’s show of strength.
While the Opposition is also expected to field a candidate, the NDA holds a clear edge with its numerical majority in the combined electoral college of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, making its victory almost certain in the event of a contest.
The election, scheduled for September 9 if required, has been necessitated by the sudden resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
