- Venkaiah Naidu and Gopalkrishna Gandhi filed their nomination papers on Tuesday
- Naidu resigned from the I&B and Urban Development Ministries
- Smriti Irani was given the additional charge of the I&B Ministry
- Narendra Tomar took charge of the Urban Development ministry
- VP elections are scheduled to be held on 5 August
Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Venkaiah Naidu File Nominations
M Venkaiah Naidu and Gopalkrishna Gandhi filed their nominations for the post of Vice President in the presence of NDA and Congress leaders, respectively.
After filing his nomination, Naidu expressed gratitude to all those who supported him.
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I am thankful to Narendra Modiji, Amit Shahji and all the NDA parties, including AIADMK, Telangana Rashtra Samiti, YSR Congress and Indian National Lok Dal, for extending their support. Some more friends are expected to support me.Venkaiah Naidu
He said there is no need for him to campaign as all the MPs who are going to vote know him too well. He also announced his resignation from the BJP, adding, “Now, I do not belong to any party”. He said that he hoped to do justice to the post of the Vice President of India.
The Opposition’s vice presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who filed his nomination in the Parliament in the presence of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, among others, said, “I have accepted the invitation with a sense of gratitude and responsibility.”
The Opposition in India is a very large entity and 18 parties have asked me to be their vice presidential candidate, he added.
I am an ordinary citizen, and I am not associated with any party. My views are my own. I am not here to oppose any person or party. I am here with all humility to place before electors, the aspirations of citizens.Gopalkrishna Gandhi
Smriti Irani gets Additional Charge of I&B, Narendra Tomar gets Urban Development
After Venkaiah Naidu resigned as Union minister, the additional charge of Ministry of Urban Development was given to Narendra Tomar and Smriti Irani was given the additional charge of I&B ministry.
Read the full story here.
Venkaiah Naidu Resigns as Union Minister
Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu resigned, on Monday, after he was chosen as the NDA's candidate for the vice presidential election.
The BJP Parliamentary board, in a meeting on Monday, picked Naidu for contesting the poll for vice president, the post he is almost certain to occupy.
A source said Naidu has tendered his resignation. He was holding two portfolios of Information and Broadcasting, and Housing and Urban Affairs.
Although Naidu was not required to resign technically, he has tendered his resignation to set high political standards as he has entered the electoral fray (for vice presidential position).
Mulayam Singh, TRS, AIADMK Faction Pledge Support to Naidu
Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s party Telangana Rashtra Samiti has pledged their support for NDA’s vice presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu.
AIADMK’s O Panneerselvam faction has also extended support to NDA vice presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu.
Naidu on Tuesday thanked Mulayam Singh for extending his support.