After Dhankar's shock exit, BJP weighs candidates as vice presidential race heats up

 Among the frontrunners being discussed are Delhi Lieutenant Governor V. K. Saxena and Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, according to an NDTV report.

Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, Sikkim Governor Om Mathur, and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha are also in the reckoning, according to the report.

The candidature of RSS ideologue Seshadri Chari has not been ruled out either, insiders revealed. Another name in circulation is that of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, a choice being considered with an eye on the Bihar elections.

Yet, BJP leaders had earlier indicated that the next vice president would be from within their own ranks and closely aligned with both the party’s and the RSS’s ideological framework.

Over the past month, several governors and lieutenant governors have called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, further fuelling speculation about who the ruling party may back.

The election, scheduled for September 9, was triggered by the abrupt resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21.

While Dhankhar cited health reasons, sources indicated to NDTV there was more to the story, hinting at a trust deficit that had developed between him and the Centre, despite his earlier reputation as one of its staunchest defenders.

His term, under normal circumstances, was to run until August 2027.

The BJP is proceeding with caution after what many in the party describe as a difficult year with Dhankhar.

Though the vice president’s role is largely ceremonial, the office carries weight as the presiding authority over Rajya Sabha proceedings.

One of the triggers for the rift was Dhankhar’s increasing tendency to take unilateral decisions without keeping the government informed, the report said.

Matters reportedly came to a head when he declined to support the Centre’s stand on the impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma.

To avoid a repeat of such tensions, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has vested the authority of picking the candidate in Prime Minister Modi and BJP president J. P. Nadda.

A major meeting of top BJP leaders and allies is on the cards next week to project unity and strength, even though the NDA enjoys a clear advantage in the electoral college.

In addition, all NDA parliamentarians have been asked to attend a Parliamentary Party meeting on Tuesday, coinciding with the resumption of the Monsoon Session’s second phase.

Prime Minister Modi is expected to address the MPs in the Parliament auditorium, the report said.

The vice president is elected by members of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, with nominated members of the Upper House also eligible to cast their vote.

Under constitutional provisions, if a mid-term election is held, the new incumbent serves a full five-year term.

To be eligible, a candidate must be an Indian citizen, at least 35 years of age, and qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Those holding any office of profit under the central or state governments, or under a local authority, are barred from contesting.