M A I N   N E W S

Vice-Prez battle on; NDA fields Jaswant
Show of unity as Sena, JD(U) back candidature
Anita Katyal
Tribune News Service

Numbers in Ansari’s favour Although the numbers clearly favour Hamid Ansari, the BJP-led NDA decided not to give the ruling combine a walk-over because it wanted to record its opposition to Ansari’s candidature. Besides, it wished to dispel the widespread perception that the NDA is not united BJP gameplan Having ensured unity in the NDA ranks, the BJP will now seek to enlarge its circle of friends by seeking support from the AIADMK and the BJD The party also plans to contact the estranged UPA ally Mamata Banerjee, who is yet to decide on how her party will vote after her nominee Gopal Gandhi opted out of the race

New Delhi, July 16
BJP leader and former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh was today picked by the NDA as its vice-presidential candidate to take on the UPA nominee Hamid Ansari. The decision was taken at a meeting of NDA leaders held at BJP patriarch LK Advani’s residence this morning.

Although the numbers clearly favour the UPA nominee, the BJP-led NDA decided not to give the ruling combine a walk-over for two reasons.

One, it wanted to record its opposition to Ansari’s candidature. Two, it wished to dispel the widespread perception that the NDA is not united as this view had gathered currency after two of its partners, Janata Dal (U) and the Shiv Sena, broke ranks with the BJP to support UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee in the Presidential election.

Both the Shiv Sena and the JD(U) have supported Jaswant Singh’s candidature which was endorsed unanimously at today’s NDA meeting. Announcing Jaswant Singh’s candidature, Advani disclosed that the BJP had requested Janata Dal (U) president Sharad Yadav to contest for the post of Vice-President but he declined the offer. BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had approached Yadav a few days ago but JD(U) chief refused on the plea that he was more in the mould of a political activist and was not temperamentally suited for a constitutional post.

“We are disinclined towards UPA’s Vice-President candidate Hamid Ansari. Sushma had spoken to Sharad Yadav. But he had refused to accept our proposal. Jaswant Singh will be our candidate for the Vice-President’s post,” Advani announced.

In his first response to his nomination, Jaswant Singh said, “I am honoured with the responsibility given to me.”

The senior BJP leader also made it a point to underline that unlike the presidential election, the NDA will be voting unitedly in the Vice-President’s poll. This view was subsequently endorsed by the JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav. “It was important to send out a political message that the NDA is not breaking up,” Yadav told The Tribune after the meeting.

Advani said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did call him on Saturday to solicit BJP’s support for Ansari but he declined as their party and other NDA partners did not favour a second term for the incumbent Vice-President. The Opposition is particularly unhappy with his handling of the debate of the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha December last and his decision to summon marshalls during the discussion on the women’s reservation Bill.