New Delhi
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is all set to become India’s next Vice President (VP), having been fielded by the party’s ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as against Opposition’s candidate diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
Naidu quit the Urban Development Ministry and filed his nomination on Tuesday for the August five election. Just after he was announced NDA’s vice presidential candidate, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi described Naidu as “tenacious party worker and leader.”
“I know Venkaiah Naidu for years. I have always admired his hardwork and tenacity. He is a fitting candidate for the office of Vice President,” Modi tweeted.
The choice confirms the importance that BJP attaches to improving its presence in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
With the backing of southern parties like All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and YSR Congress, Naidu enjoys an edge over Gandhi. He is likely to win the votes of 557 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the electoral college of 787 MPs.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi has already conceded that the Opposition does not have the sufficient numbers. But she described it as “a battle that needs to be fought hard.”
With the electoral arithmetic not in his favour, Gandhi said the issue is not about winning or losing.
“It is about becoming clean, becoming pure, and speaking from the heart. I am an ordinary citizen, but the people of which I am a part is not ordinary. People’s faith in politics has almost collapsed and I would like to see a revival of that faith. I am contesting not to oppose but to unite,” Gandhi said after filing his nomination this week.
Gandhi called himself a citizen candidate.
“I am not affiliated to any party. I am independent and free. My views are my own. There is a big chasm between the citizens and politics and on behalf of the citizens I want to bridge that gulf,” he said.
Gandhi clarified that he was not a candidate for opposing BJP, but he is against “certain ideologies.”
“The country is passing through a hate phase and ill feeling among communities is increasing. I am contesting to remove that,” he said.
Interestingly, Gandhi, grandson of Father of Indian Nation Mahatama Gandhi, had opposed the death sentence of 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts convict Yakub Memon. In July 2015, Gandhi wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee to reconsider the rejection of Memon’s mercy plea.
Shiv Sena has questioned Opposition parties for fielding Gandhi for the VP’s post. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said Gandhi was among those who had made appeals to the government to save Memon.
“Gandhi had used all his powers to save Yakub Memon. He even had written to the President. I want to ask the Opposition what kind of mindset is this,” Raut told media.
Gandhi has, however, defended himself on opposing the death sentence of Memon.
“I believe the death penalty belongs to the medieval ages and even Mahatama Gandhi and veteran leader BR Ambedkar were against it. I have also written to the Pakistan President seeking mercy for Indian citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav languishing in their jail,” Gandhi said.
Meanwhile, he will write letters to all Parliamentarians individually. He will also send postcards to each of them.
Political commentator Rajiv Malik feels Gandhi’s support for Menon would “definitely” affect Gandhi’s election.
“Gandhi has made it clear that he is against capital punishment but I dont think in a country like India, people ignore and forgive those who oppose death sentence for terrorists or aides of terrorists. Gandhi would definitely find his backing Menon a tough thing in vice presidential election,” Malik told Gulf News.
