The Election Commission of India said on Wednesday that it has already begun the process of electing a new Vice President. The announcement comes two days after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the post, opening the contest for his successor.
Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022. His five-year term would end in August 2027. Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation means a new Vice President has not been elected within the next two months.
While the Election Commission has yet to announce the poll schedule, sources say the country will likely have a new Vice President by the end of August.
Dhankhar’s resignation has set off a wave of speculations about his potential successor.
One of the past governors, as Dhankhar was of West Bengal before taking the vice president’s office, or a seasoned organisational leader or one of the Union ministers – the BJP has a large pool of leaders to choose from for the position.
Dhankhar’s resignation comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in the process of electing its new national president, replacing JP Nadda. According to some reports, the saffron party may get a new president after 15 August.
Whenever the election happens, the ruling National Democratic Alliance and the opposition INDIA bloc will field their candidates for the top post. The electorate for the Vice Presidential election comprises all members of both Houses of Parliament, using a proportional representation system via single transferable vote. The MPs will cast a single transferable vote with a secret ballot.
The electoral college currently has 788 MPs- 588 in Lok Sabha and 245 in Rajya Sabha.
Numbers in NDA favour
The ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has a majority in the electorate, which means the NDA candidate will be the next Vice President of India
At present, the effective strength of both Houses is 782, and the winning candidate will require 392 votes, considering that all eligible voters exercise their franchise.
In the Lok Sabha, the BJP-led NDA enjoys the support of 293 of the 542 members. The ruling alliance has the support of 129 members in the Rajya Sabha, assuming that the nominated members vote in support of the NDA nominee, which has an adequate strength of 240.
Overall, the ruling alliance has the support of 422 members in both houses, as opposed to the requirement of 394.
Harivansh Narayan Singh
Among the frontrunners from the NDA camp is Harivansh Narayan Singh, a Janata Dal (United) MP who has been the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman since 2020.
Harivansh has been temporarily filling the role of Rajya Sabha chair until the election of the next Vice President of India. In the 2020 Deputy Speaker Elections, Harivansh defeated Opposition candidate and RJD leader Manoj Jha.
Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar’s name has also been floating around for the post. However, the JD-U chief will have to leave the CM chair, months before the elections, so Kumar seems an unlikely candidate.
Yet, NDA ally Upendra Kushwaha suggested that Nitish Kumar step down as CM to make way for the next generation.
Manoj Sinha
Manoj Sinha will complete five years as the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir this August, fuelling speculation about his candidature as Vice President.
Sinha is a former MP, Union minister and an old BJP hand from Uttar Pradesh’s Purvanchal region.
Union Ministers and Tharoor
Two Union Ministers — Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister JP Nadda — have also been suggested as contenders.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has also emerged as a contender for some. To be a VP, Tharoor, who has an uneasy relationship with the Congress party, will have to leave his Lok Sabha MP seat.
Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation has set off a wave of speculation about his potential successor.
Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan is also counted in the list. A former Congress and Janata Dal MP, Khan left Congress in 1986 over the Shah Bano case. Before Bihar, he was Governor of Kerala.
Well, all these are speculations. Who knows, like in the past, the BJP will come up with a surprise pick. Until then, more names will be added to the list of frontrunners for Vice President of India.
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