NEW DELHI: With the EC formally initiating the process of electing the next Vice President by appointing a Returning Officer, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is expected to commence consultations for its nominee for the key constitutional post after July 28. This move comes amid indications that the Opposition will also field a candidate. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to speak in both Houses of Parliament after July 28 on Operation Sindoor.In the electoral college, which comprises members of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the ruling BJP-led NDA holds a clear majority with nearly 425 members out of a total of 782 MPs. This makes its nominee, clear and strong to win the polls to this second-highest constitutional post of Vice President after the President of India. There is growing speculation that the Modi government may once again take a bold step to send a strong message in line with its mantra of women’s empowerment by fielding a woman candidate. If this possibility materialises, it would mark a significant representation of nari-shakti, with women occupying both the posts of President and Vice President. In the days to come, the prospect of a woman serving as Army Chief may no longer remain a distant assumption. “Remember, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, at a function in Bihar, expressed hope that one day a woman may be seen as the Chief of the Army,” remarked a senior BJP leader.Although no official briefing has been made by the BJP regarding the selection of a candidate, sources have indicated that the Vice Presidential candidate will be chosen from within the party, with strong links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Given recent experiences, the BJP is unlikely to take the risk of selecting a candidate who could prove unpredictable, once in office.The party leadership is expected to begin serious discussions with NDA allies to reach a consensus on a suitable candidate after 29 July, following the Prime Minister’s speech in Parliament. “One thing is clear, no candidate who has defected to the BJP from other parties, especially Congress, would be considered for this post. The possibility is that our alliance may finally agree on any one of four serving governors who have been associated with the Sangh and are deeply attached with the party’s ideology of keeping the Nation and its Constitution above everything,” remarked a very senior BJP leader on July 25 to TNIE. Among the prominent names currently being considered are Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur, Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Bihar Governor Md Arif Khan, and Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel.
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