Presidential Election 2022: BJP confident of numbers; in talks with ally JDU

BJP-led NDA is confident of victory for its presidential candidate and is in talks with ally JDU, apart from YSRCP and BJD, for securing a majority without hiccups. NDA insiders said the political process for the presidential candidate will begin after the Rajya Sabha elections conclude on Friday.

NDA will have to ensure its partners remain on board. In the past, some constituents have not voted for the official NDA candidate. It also needs to get parties like YSRCP and BJD, which have extended issue based support from time to time, to vote for its candidate. JDU had voted for Pranab Mukherjee, who was the UPA presidential candidate in 2012. While remaining in NDA, Shiv Sena too voted for Mukherjee as well as UPA candidate Pratibha Patil in 2007 over 'provincial considerations', as she hails from Maharashtra.

"BJP has been restrained in the last few weeks while dealing with JDU and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. This was evident during the proposal for a caste census though it did not have a firm stand on the matter at the national level. BJP has also been quiet on Kumar's stand that there is no need for an anti-conversion law in Bihar," a BJP leader said.


Most of all, BJP made no statement on Kumar's decision to not give another RS term for steel minister RCP Singh, who needs to remain an MP to continue as minister. There was provocation from some quarters that if BJP was so keen, it could send Singh to the House from its quota.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik met PM Modi on May 30 and the issue of presidential polls may have figured during discussions. BJP has been in talks with BJD to get support for its presidential candidate.

Andhra Pradesh CM and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy also met the PM on June 2 and home minister Amit Shah the next day. Sources maintain the issue of presidential election also came up. NDA will need the support of Reddy's YSRCP too this time. Though the demand for a hefty financial package for development work is not likely to be met in full, the Centre may make some concessions for Andhra Pradesh.

BJP-led NDA is in power in 16 states and has a decisive majority in the Lok Sabha. It has over 100 MPs in Rajya Sabha too, which has a strength of 245.

Announcement of dates for polling and counting of votes for the presidential election has set in motion the guessing game on who will be the NDA candidate. While there is no clarity, BJP sources maintained that it could be a woman belonging to a Scheduled Tribe. Some maintain that a leader from south India could make it.