Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar is NDA's vice-presidential candidate

The BJP on Saturday named West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, a Jat leader from Rajasthan with socialist background, as the ruling National Democratic Alliance's vice presidential candidate.

Making the announcement, BJP president J P Nadda lauded Dhankhar as a "kisan-putra" (son of farmer) who, he said, established himself as a "people's governor". The BJP parliamentary board in a meeting, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders, picked the 71-year-old Dhankhar after deliberating over several names, Nadda said.

After the announcement, Modi tweeted, "Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has excellent knowledge of our Constitution. He is also well-versed with legislative affairs. I am sure that he will be an outstanding Chair in the Rajya Sabha & guide the proceedings of the House with the aim of furthering national progress."

Soon after his name was announced, Dhankhar tweeted, "Thank you Narendra Modi ji for nominating me as the Vice President candidate for the vice presidential election." Since taking over as the West Bengal Governor in July 2019, Dhankhar has had several run-ins with the Mamata Banerjee government.

While his proactive conduct has drawn criticism from the state's ruling Trinamool Congress, the BJP has backed him.

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Being a Jat, a backward community in Rajasthan, his elevation as vice president is likely to send helpful political message for the BJP as not many Jats besides former prime minister Charan Singh and former deputy prime minister Devi Lal have occupied high positions at the national level.

The BJP has had uneasy relations with Jats, a powerful agrarian community in Haryana, Rajsthan and western Uttar Pradesh, though the party has received their support in good numbers in the recent two Lok Sabha polls compared to assembly elections in these states.

BJP leaders noted that Dhankhar has been in public life for more than three decades, and his life story reflects the spirit of new India: "overcoming innumerable social and economic hurdles and achieving one’s goals".

Nadda said Dhankhar established himself as a respected lawyer in the Rajasthan High Court and later in the Supreme Court before making a mark in politics. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan in 1989 and had served briefly as a Union minister in the government led by Chandrashekhar. He joined the BJP later.

His election as vice president is almost a certainty as the BJP has a majority in the electoral college comprising members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Out of Parliament's current strength of 780, the BJP alone has 394 MPs, more than the majority mark of 390.

The last date for filing of nomination papers for the poll is July 19 and the election is scheduled for August 6. Dhankar has been a keen cricketer enthusiast and is follower of spirituality and meditation, those familiar with him said. He was also involved with the grant of OBC status for Jats in Rajasthan.