BJP nominates West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar for VP

New Delhi: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has been nominated as the NDA candidate for the post of Vice President of India. BJP chief JP Nadda announced the decision on Saturday.

He said Dhankhar has established himself to be a people's Governor. "After all considerations and consultations, we have decided to announce farmer's son Jagdeep Dhankhar as the BJP and NDA's candidate for Vice President," reported NDTV.

The decision was taken at a BJPparliamentary board meeting in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present at the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his support for the NDA candidate and wrote: "Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has excellent knowledge of our Constitution. He is also well-versed in legislative affairs. I am sure that he will be an outstanding Chair in the Rajya Sabha & guide the proceedings of the House with the aim of furthering national progress."

Dhankar belongs to the Jat community which is a crucial community for BJP-ruled states. His nomination is likely to send a message to the Jat community in Western Uttar Pradesh which supported the BJP even after protests against the now-repealed farm laws, sources told NDTV.

The West Bengal Governor has been associated with the BJP for 20 years and has stood against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on several issues.

He has accused the state government of West Bengal of "extreme appeasement, communalised patronage, and mafia syndicate extortion". He alleged that the state is experiencing a "decimation of democratic values".

The Trinamool Congress described Dhankhar as "communal".