Chennai: Just a couple of days ago when Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu was wondering who could be the country's next Vice-President, BJP chief Amit Shah asked him why couldn’t he hold the second highest political but ceremonial post in the country.
A perplexed Venkaiah stood in consternation. Before he could put his mind to the proposal by the BJP President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi broached the topic with him, reflecting the seriousness with which the powerful duo of the contemporary Indian politics was considering his name for the crucial post.
Venkaiah’s experience as an aggressive Parliamentary Affairs Minister and his constant habit of putting the Opposition on the mat on several issues, highly placed sources say, were the key factors that weighed on the minds of Modi and Shah for the post of Vice President, who would also be the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, where the BJP still does not enjoy majority.
Being a South Indian also weighed in favour of Venkaiah as the BJP tries to make inroads into south of Vindhyas.
The BJP top brass, the sources pointed out, had been consistent from the beginning that the Vice-President pick should be a "consummate politician" who could handle the Opposition in the Upper House. Even in 2002, the then Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee had chosen Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who was then a three-time Chief Minister from Rajasthan.
Outspoken both inside and outside the party forum, Venkaiah, the sources said, put forth his perspective about the proposal and that he would want to continue serving people continuing in active politics. "I have been in active politics for the past 40 years since being attracted to Jan Sangh during my student days," Venkaiah is understood to have told both the Prime Minister and the BJP president.
But, having worked with the powerful duo for a very long time, Venkaiah knew that their decision was final and it was he who should be taking the call now.
"The discussions between Venkaiah and party seniors have been going for the past four-five days and a final decision was taken only on Monday," the sources told Deccan Chronicle.
Venkaiah, the sources said, also made it clear during the discussions that he would also toe the party line and would never go against the wishes of the leadership. Modi has been quite vocal in his effusive praise about Venkaiah's role as Parliamentary Affairs Minister from May 2014 to July 2016 and had kept him in loop on all crucial decisions taken by the government, though he was holding relatively low-profile portfolio of Urban Development.
EPS, OPS to back BJP candidate
EPS and OPS factions of the AIADMK on Monday announced their support for NDA's vice president candidate M Venkaiah Naidu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and former chief minister O Pannerselvam separately and sought their support.
Vice President of India is elected by MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and the polls will be held on August 5. Mr Panneerselvam commands support of 13 MPs. BJP sources said the PM also spoke to chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in the evening and sought the support. But there was no official word on the conversation, though it is believed the EPS faction will also throw its weight behind Mr Naidu.
