BJD announces support for NDA's Vice-President candidate Jagdeep Dhankar

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 17 (ANI): The Biju Janta Dal (BJD) on Sunday announced its support for NDA's Vice Presidential candidate Jagdeep Dhankar in the upcoming election.
As per official sources, "The decision has been taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a discussion with BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and sought his support for Dhankar."
As per sources, all the MPs of Biju Janta Dal have been asked to remain present during the filing of nomination by Jagdeep Dhankar.
This comes a day after the West Bengal Governor was selected by the BJP as the NDA's candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential election which is slated to be held on August 6.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced the name of West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the Vice Presidential election."NDA's candidate for the post of Vice President of India will be Jagdeep Dhankhar. Kisan Putra Jagdeep Dhankhar has been in public life for more than three decades. Jagdeep Dhankhar's life story reflects the spirit of new India - overcoming innumerable social and economic hurdles and achieving one's goals," said BJP chief JP Nadda.
The decision comes after the BJP parliamentary board meeting held in the party headquarters which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders.
Following the announcement, PM Modi said he believes Dhankhar will be an outstanding Chair in the Rajya Sabha and guide the proceedings of the House with the aim of furthering national progress.
"Kisan Putra Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji is known for his humility. He brings with him an illustrious legal, legislative and gubernatorial career. He has always worked for the well-being of farmers, youth, women and the marginalised. Glad that he will be our VP candidate," said Modi in a Twitter post.
"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 and guide the proceedings of the House with the aim of furthering national progress," Prime Minister added.
Born in an agrarian household in a remote village in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, Dhankhar completed his school education from Sainik School, Chittorgarh. After finishing his graduation in Physics, he pursued LLB from the University of Rajasthan. Despite being a first-generation professional, he became one of the leading lawyers in Rajasthan.
Dhankhar has practiced in both the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court of India. He entered public life after getting elected as a Member of Parliament from Jhunjhunu in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections.
Subsequently, he also served as a Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in 1990. In 1993, he was elected to the Rajasthan Assembly from the Kishangarh constituency in the Ajmer district.
In July 2019, he was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal. (ANI)