VP polls on August 5, BJP starts zeroing in on candidate

With the Election Commission on Thursday fixing the date for the election of country's Vice President on August 5, the BJP has started the process of zeroing in for the possible choices.

BJP Party sources said the important criteria for the choice of Vice Presidential candidate will be that he or she should be more than 60-years old and should possess the capability to run the House. The candidate will obviously be from the BJP, sources added.

Though BJP is in a comfortable position to have its Vice President, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, as numbers in the electoral college comprising of all the 790 elected and nominated members favour it, it needs to have a candidate that can command respect and manage the members.

Party sources said, the party's top brass has started informal discussions and after three four rounds is expected to come up with a name around July 7 or 8. It is expected to consult with its allies first, and then later with Opposition parties to have a consensus candidate. The last date of making nominations is July 18 and the last date for the withdrawal is July 21.

The BJP is already sitting pretty with its choice of Ram Nath Kovind for the post of President whom it expects to cruise past against his rival candidate Meira Kumar because of the support of 30 political parties including the latest backers like INLD and YSR Congress.

A Vice President of its choice will give the BJP a definite edge to have a better say in the Rajya Sabha and manage the business of the House well that will allow it to get several of the stuck legislations through.