BJP parliamentary board to meet this week to pick VP candidate

The BJP parliamentary board will meet this week to pick its vice presidential candidate, who will be all but certain to occupy the position as the ruling National Democratic Alliance has a majority in the electoral college. BJP sources said the party will also reach out to different parties to seek a consensus over the choice amid indications that the Opposition will also field its candidate to force a contest, as it has for the presidential poll.

The parliamentary board is the BJP's apex organisational body, and its members include Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari besides party president J P Nadda, among others.

The last date for filing of nomination papers for the poll is July 19 and the election is scheduled for August 6.


The electoral college for picking the next vice president, who is also the Rajya Sabha chairperson, comprises members of the 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 term of incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu ends on August 10.