The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to hold a crucial meeting of its Parliamentary Board on Sunday evening to finalize the party’s nominee for the upcoming Vice Presidential election. The announcement comes after the unexpected resignation of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who cited health reasons for his decision.
The resignation, which took place on July 21, just as the Parliament’s Monsoon Session was beginning, has triggered a new political race. The Election Commission of India has already set the schedule for the election, with the final poll scheduled for September 9 if needed. Nominations for the post are due by August 21.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has a clear majority in the electoral college, which consists of members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, making the election of its chosen candidate a near certainty. A meeting of NDA floor leaders on August 6 had already authorized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Nadda to make the final decision.
According to sources, the nomination process will be a show of alliance strength, with Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers from all NDA-ruled states set to participate in the formal filing of the candidate’s papers on August 21.
The sudden nature of Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation has raised questions among the opposition, with some leaders, including the Congress’s Jairam Ramesh, speculating that there may be more to the story than simply health concerns. Dhankhar’s departure came just hours after he had presided over the Rajya Sabha as Chairman.
The BJP’s Parliamentary Board meeting on Sunday is expected to bring an end to the speculation surrounding the new Vice Presidential nominee and set the stage for the formal election process.
