NDA discusses strategy for vice presidential election

New Delhi, July 24 (ANI): Top leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) met at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Lal Krishna Advani's residence here on Tuesday to chalk out its strategy for the upcoming vice presidential election and discuss the prospects of its nominee Jaswant Singh.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav informed that the meeting was held to discuss how the vice presidential election should be fought in an organized way.

"Today Advaniji had called all NDA allies and BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Rudy (Rajiv Pratap Rudy) and Shahnawaz (Shahnawaz Hussain), who are looking after this vice presidential election. Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut and Akali Dal's Naresh Gujral and BJP President Nitin Gadkari, Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, were also present in the meeting," said Yadav.

We had not met after a decision with regard to the vice presidential election was taken. So, we today discussed how this election should be fought in an organized way," he added.

Despite the numbers not being in favour of NDA's candidate Jaswant Singh, the BJP had earlier last week expressed confidence that its nominee would win the vice presidential election.

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain earlier on Friday said the 2012 vice presidential election would be quite interesting.

"Our leader Jaswant Singh will today file his nomination papers. The vice presidential election will be quite interesting," said Hussain.

"Only time will tell (about it)," he added, when asked that the numbers were not in their favour.

Jaswant Singh, who filed his nomination papers for the vice presidential election on April 20, has the committed support of the BJP, Janata Dal-United, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and several other smaller parties.

UPA's vice presidential candidate Hamid Ansari, however, has a definite edge in the August 7 vice presidential election, as he has the support of the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahuja Samaj Party (BSP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), CPM, National Conference and several others.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have not disclosed their cards for the vice presidential poll yet.

The Vice-President is elected through a direct ballot with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members (including nominated) comprising the electoral college.

A total of 790 MPs are eligible to cast their vote on August 7 to elect the 14th Vice President. (ANI)