All speculation regarding the choice of the next Vice President ended on Saturday with the BJP officially declaring West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as its nominee for the position. Earlier, there were conjectures in political circles that the BJP and NDA could select someone from amongst the minorities to be its candidate. Names doing the rounds included those of former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and erstwhile Union Minister Mukhtiar Abbas Naqvi. Dhankhar was apparently shortlisted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah keeping in view his contribution to the country and particularly the party. Dhankhar had several confrontations with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who even amended certain rules to curb his powers. However, the lawyer-turned-politician, who made his big political debut on the national stage when he was part of the Chandra Shekhar-led government, never allowed Mamata to get the better of him. The biggest challenge before him would be how he conducts the Rajya Sabha proceedings, since the Vice President is also the Chairman of the Council of States and how he deals with the MPs of the Trinamool Congress with whom he has had a stormy relationship. Dhankhar’s selection also implies that the BJP has picked him keeping the Rajasthan elections in mind. A Jat from Jhunjhunu, he could influence the strong Jat base in his home state, which in the past has traditionally backed the Congress since the days of Nathu Ram Mirdha. His elevation may also suggest that the end game for Vasundhara Raje may have commenced. Both Modi and Shah would want a new face to emerge in Rajasthan ahead of the elections and though Dhankhar would be the serving Vice President, his selection would send clear cut messages to the members of his community. It is also very clear that the political career of M. Venkaiah Naidu has ended and he may retire from active politics once his term as the Vice President ends next month. Naidu is also amongst a number of Vice Presidents who could not become President. This list includes Gopal Swarup Pathak, M. Hidayatullah, B.D. Jatti, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Krishan Kant and Hamid Ansari.
Opposition leaders would watch Dhankhar’s performance as Vice President very closely and would expect him to act impartially and without taking sides. Whether this would happen is something only time would tell. Along with Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar would form the new team at the top and thus provide a new face to the look of the Central government and the nation. Ideally speaking, the position of the President or Vice President should be by consensus, but a contest, even if token, is inevitable. With Dhankhar moving to Delhi, there is speculation that Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi may replace him as the next Governor of West Bengal. The next Vice President is also from a farmer’s family and his selection is being seen in some quarters as an outreach by the BJP towards the farming community, with which it has had multiple confrontations in view of the now aborted farm laws. So it is Murmu as the President and Dhankhar as the Vice President, even though the official declaration would happen once the election results come out.
