TDP, BSP to support NDA's Jagdeep Dhankhar in vice presidential poll

New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday announced its support for the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar in the upcoming Vice Presidential elections.
Earlier, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati announced her party's support for Dhankhar.
Biju Janta Dal (BJD) also announced its support for NDA's Vice Presidential candidate Jagdeep Dhankar in the upcoming election. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress said that the party will abstain from voting in the upcoming Vice Presidential poll.
The election for the Vice President's post will be held on August 6. This comes just as the tenure of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu comes to an end on August 10, 2022.
The NDA has announced Jagdeep Dhankhar as its vice-presidential candidate while opposition parties have announced Margaret Alva as their candidate.
On July 18, Dhankhar filed his nomination papers before Returning Officer and Secretary General, Lok Sabha in Parliament House.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, and BJP chief JP Nadda were present when Dhankar filed his nomination.
Immediately after filing the nomination, Dhankhar said that he will strive for the democratic values of the country. "I will always strive to enhance the democratic values of the country. Never thought even in my dreams that a person with a humble background like me will get this opportunity."
The vice president of India, which is the second-highest constitutional post in the country, is elected through an electoral college consisting of members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
Born in an agrarian household in a remote village in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, Dhankhar completed his school education from Sainik School, Chittorgarh.
Dhankhar, who is a lawyer by profession, entered into politics in 1989. He became the governor of West Bengal in July 2019 and has made headlines since then over his tumultuous relations with the Mamata Banerjee government. He tendered his resignation as the Governor of West Bengal.
After finishing his graduation in Physics, he pursued LLB from the University of Rajasthan. Despite being a first-generation professional, he became a leading lawyer 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.
In 2017, the NDA had nominated Venkaiah Naidu as its candidate for the vice-presidential election and he went on to become India's 15th vice president. His term ends on August 10, 2022. (ANI)