Highlights
- BJP on Saturday announced Jagdeep Dhankhar as the NDA's candidate for the Vice Presidential election
- BJP leaders noted that Dhankhar has been in public service for more than three decades
- Dhankhar, the West Bengal governor, has been at loggerheads with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
Vice President election 2022: In a major twist, the BJP on Saturday announced Jagdeep Dhankhar as the NDA's candidate for the Vice Presidential election 2022. Announcing the West Bengal governor's name, BJP's national president J P Nadda said, "Dhankhar is a kisan putra (son of farmer) who established himself as people's governor."
BJP leaders noted that Dhankhar has been in public service for more than three decades, and his life story reflects the spirit of new India: "overcoming innumerable social and economic hurdles and achieving one's goals".
The announcement came after a parliamentary board meeting at party headquarters in New Delhi. PM Narendra Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh, BJP National General Secretary BL Santosh & Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present at the meeting.
Dhankar's rife with Mamata
Dhankhar, the West Bengal governor, has been at loggerheads with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the latter accused the government of “misusing power” by governors of states that are ruled by parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Since assuming charge as the governor in July 2019, Dhankhar has taken on the Banerjee-led government regularly over various issues.
The TMC leadership has often accused him of acting as an `agent of the BJP’, while the saffron party in the state looked upon him as an ‘upholder of constitutional norms’. On his part, Dhankar has claimed he has gone by the rule book and the Constitution in pointing out issues to the Mamata Banerjee government and the state legislature.
Acrimony between Dhankhar and the ruling party and its leader often led to messy situations with both levelling accusations at each other over issues ranging from post-poll violence in the state to delays in assent to bills passed in the House besides interference in the functioning of the civilian bureaucracy and state-run universities.
When will VP election take place?
Nominations for the vice-presidential polls slated to be held on August 6 began on Tuesday. The Election Commission made an announcement of the elections for the 16th vice president of India to take place on August 6 (Saturday), 2022.
