With the Vice Presidential election less than a month away, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its efforts to finalise a candidate. According to NDTV, discussions are underway within the party and its allies, with Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan among the leading contenders.
Sources indicated that other names under consideration include Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, Sikkim Governor Om Mathur, and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The candidature of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue Seshadri Chari is also being debated. In addition, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh has emerged as a possible nominee, especially in view of the upcoming Bihar elections, though the BJP leadership has signalled its preference for a candidate closely aligned with the party’s and the RSS’s ideology.
Over the past month, several governors and lieutenant governors have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as consultations gathered pace.
The election, scheduled for September 9, was triggered by the unexpected resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, who stepped down citing health concerns. However, party insiders suggested the move may also reflect strains in his relationship with the Centre. His term was otherwise due to end in August 2027. Reports indicate that disagreements over his handling of Rajya Sabha proceedings — particularly his refusal to align with the government’s stance on the impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma — contributed to the decision.
Determined to avoid a repeat of such tensions, the BJP is approaching the selection process with caution. While the Vice President’s constitutional role is largely limited to presiding over the Upper House, the position carries weight in ensuring smooth parliamentary functioning.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has empowered Prime Minister Modi and party president J P Nadda to choose the coalition’s candidate. To consolidate its position, the BJP is planning a major strategy session next week involving top leaders and allies. Despite holding a numerical advantage in the Vice Presidential race, the party is expected to project unity and strength. All NDA MPs have also been summoned to a Parliamentary Party meeting on Tuesday, coinciding with the second phase of the Monsoon Session, where PM Modi is likely to address the legislators.
Under constitutional provisions, the Vice President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including nominated members of the Upper House. The eligibility criteria stipulate that a candidate must be an Indian citizen, at least 35 years old, qualified to be a Rajya Sabha member, and not hold an office of profit under the Union or state governments. In case of a mid-term poll, the elected Vice President is entitled to serve a full five-year term.