Twitter
Advertisement

Ansari gets a tough vice-prez contender in Jaswant

The meeting at NDA acting chairman LK Advani’s house was over within an hour.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

The BJP and the NDA showed uncharacteristic sense of purpose and clear thinking when they chose senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh for the vice-president’s post.

The meeting at NDA acting chairman LK Advani’s house was over within an hour. Singh, a veteran parliamentarian who has served as the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha (2004-2009), is one BJP leaders who is acceptable to other parties, within and outside the NDA.

Though numbers are not in his favour, Singh is no pushover candidate. In fact, he has an edge over UPA’s Hamid Ansari in terms of political standing. While Ansari is a career diplomat without any political background, Singh has a rich political experience. And that is one of the reasons why he is respected by almost all, cutting across political lines.

And just like Pranab Mukherjee, the UPA’s presidential candidate, Singh has served as the planning commission’s deputy chairman, the finance minister, the minister for external affairs and the defence minister.

Perhaps, he would have been a good match for Mukherjee had the opposition kept him as its presidential candidate.

The NDA will surely present a united front with the Janata Dal (U) and Shiv Sena returning to the fold to support Singh’s candidature.

Both party chiefs have announced their support for Mukherjee. Singh, in all probability, will get the support of the BJD and the AIADMK as well as the BJP has chosen to support their presidential candidate PA Sangma.

Also, BJP leaders as well as Singh will surely seek Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee’s support. At present, Singh represents Darjeeling in the Lok Sabha. Since Sangma remains a distant second to Mukherjee, the vice-presidential contest between Ansari and Singh is bound to be more interesting.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement