'Not Surprising,' Says Congress as BJP Fields Dhankhar as NDA's Candidate for VP
BJP announced on 16 July that Jagdeep Dhankhar will be the NDA candidate for the post of Vice President of India.
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After Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda on Sunday, 16 July, announced that Jagdeep Dhankhar will be the National Democratic Alliance candidate for the post of Vice President of India, reactions have been pouring in from across the political spectrum.
Several BJP leaders took to Twitter congratulate Dhankar. Among the big names were Narendra Modi, JP Nadda, Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Devendra Fadnavis.
His native village Kithana in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan is amid celebrations, according to reports
Modi Calls Dhankar 'Son of Farmer'
Prime Minister Modi tweeted saying he is happy with Dhankar's appointment and called him a farmer's son. In another tweet, PM Modi expressed confidence that Dhankar will be an "outstanding Chair in the Rajya Sabha."
Opposition Leaders Say Candidature Expected, TMC Holds Off Comments
Meanwhile, Congress said that Dhankhar’s candidature was not surprising as he was “close to BJP,” while Communist Party of India (Marxist) hinted at a “secret understanding” between the TMC and the saffron party, saying the announcement of Dhankhar’s candidature came barely a few days after Banerjee and the governor, along with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, held a “courtesy meeting” at Raj Bhavan in Darjeeling.
TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the party will not make any official comment immediately.
“Our chairperson Mamata Banerjee has already called for a meeting with MPs on July 21 on the vice presidential election. She will voice the party’s stand in that meeting,” he said.
Congress state chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Dhankhar was nominated as he was very close to the BJP and had an active stint in Raj Bhavan since July 2019, and was “always in the news.”
“He was very close to the BJP. He was in West Bengal for the last three years and had become a familiar name. The decision is not surprising but the state’s media might be deprived of its daily dose of news as Dhankhar ji regularly tweeted and voiced his views,” he said.
Chowdhury, however, also described Dhankhar as a highly educated person and an esteemed lawyer. He said Congress will make its stand on the vice presidential election public when time comes.
Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty hinted at a “secret understanding” between TMC and BJP over Dhankhar’s candidature.
The office of the vice president will fall vacant on 10 August, following the end of M Venkaiah Naidu's term. Dhankhar currently holds the post of governor in West Bengal.
Since assuming charge as the governor of West Bengal in July 2019, Dhankhar has taken on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government regularly over various issues.
BJP Leaders Congratulate
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai backed Dhankhar and said that it would be a "matter of supreme pride" for India if a "son of the soil" held the post of VP. Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis extended his best wishes, calling him a "legal and constitutional expert."
National party president Jagat Prakash Nadda said in a statement that he is confident that the country will benefit from Dhankhar's experience.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated Dhankhar on Twitter. Sarbananda Sonowal, the former CM of the state, also showed support for the NDA’s vice presidential candidate.
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made a reference to Dhankhar roots in his congratulatory message and wrote, “Heartiest congratulations to Shri @jdhankhar1 Ji, a ‘Kisan Putra,’ on being nominated as NDA's candidate for Vice President of India.”
Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA from Nandigram and Dilip Ghosh, National VP of BJP also congratulated Dhankar, "Your knowledge & stiff resistance against the tyranny of the ruling party in Paschim Banga is undeniable," said Ghosh.
Who Is Jagdeep Dhankhar?
Dhankhar was born in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan and holds a LLB degree from the University of Rajasthan.
He had assumed the charge of the office of the Governor of West Bengal on 30 July 2019. He was elected as a member of the Rajasthan Bar Council in the year 1988.
In 1989, he was elected to the 9th Lok Sabha from Jhunjhunu Parliamentary Constituency as a Janata Dal candidate, and in 1990 he became the chairman of Parliamentary Committee and also a Union Minister.
He later joined the Congress, and was elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Kishangarh Constituency in Ajmer district from 1993-1998. In 2003, he joined the BJP. He was the national convener of the BJP’s Law and Legal Affairs Department.
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