NDA’s vice-presidential candidate and former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar today filed his nomination papers at the Parliament House for the 6 August election.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda, Union home ministers Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and the leaders of other parties representing the NDA were among those present on the occasion. Leaders from the BJD, which too has decided to support the candidature of Dhankhar, were also there on the occasion.
Dhankhar filed his nomination papers on a day when the country was witnessing elections for the post of the President.
“Not even in my dreams did I think that a common man like me would be given such an opportunity. A farmer’s son has filed his nomination today… grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership for this opportunity,” he told reporters soon after filing his nomination.
Dhankhar’s name as the NDA candidate for the vice-presidential poll was announced by the BJP chief on Saturday.
Dhankhar, who is a lawyer by profession, entered politics in 1989. In July 2019, he became the governor of West Bengal where he was involved in a running feud with the Mamata Banerjee government.
Dhankhar will face the joint Opposition candidate and former Union minister Margaret Alva in the election. NCP chief Sharad Pawar yesterday announced that the Opposition parties have unanimously decided to field Alva as their candidate. She will file her nomination papers tomorrow.