The opposition INDIA bloc is likely to declare its Vice President Candidate after another round of meetings on Tuesday.
Leaders of several opposition parties had met at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday to discuss the joint candidate for the second-highest constitutional post.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has already announced senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, C.P. Radhakrishnan, as its candidate. According to reports, the BJP has also reached out to the opposition leaders, including Kharge, seeking a unanimous election of their candidate.
The victory of the NDA candidate is a foregone conclusion since the alliance enjoys a comfortable majority in the electoral college, which includes members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
However, the INDIA bloc has taken it as an ideological battle and decided to field their own joint candidate.
According to a PTI report, certain names were suggested at Monday’s meeting, including some from Tamil Nadu. The DMK leaders have proposed the name of an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist, who hails from the southern state and is well respected.
The name of senior DMK leader Tiruchi Siva is also doing the rounds. Siva, a Rajya Sabha MP, however, refused to comment, saying his leadership will take a call on the issue.
"I have no idea. Only leaders will decide that. I am not the person to tell that. My leaders are discussing," he told ANI news agency.
Siva, a native of Tiruchirappalli, has completed five terms in parliament as a member of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The nomination of Radhakrishnan is seen as a strategic move by the BJP to strengthen its base in Tamil Nadu, particularly by consolidating the Gounder community votes in the Kongu region, ahead of next year’s assembly elections.
There were reports that Radhakrishnan’s candidacy is likely to put pressure on the DMK, a main constituent of the INDIA bloc, to either support him or stay away from the polls.
The election, which was necessitated by the abrupt resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, will be held on September 9. The last date of filing the nomination is August 21.
The combined strength of both houses of parliament is 786, and the winning candidate will need to win 394 votes in the election for a vice president, considering all eligible voters exercise their franchise.
In the Lok Sabha, the BJP-led NDA enjoys the support of 293 members, whereas it has the support of 129 members in the Rajya Sabha (assuming that the nominated members vote in support of the NDA nominee). This brings its total support to 422 members out of 786.