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Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said it was a unanimous decision that PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief Nadda should finalise vice president nominee
PM Narendra Modi with BJP chief JP Nadda will finalise the NDA candidate for the vice president of India. (Image: PTI/Ravi Choudhary/File)(PTI08_05_2025_000060B)
The NDA on Thursday authorised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president JP Nadda to pick the vice presidential candidate for the ruling alliance.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, held a meeting of key BJP leaders and their allies at the Parliament complex where the decision was taken.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, who coordinated the meeting, said it was a unanimous decision that Modi and Nadda should finalise the candidate for the vice president. The meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in attendance along with Nadda.
As a show of strength ahead of the September 9 election, NDA leaders, including top figures from alliance partners, are expected to gather in Parliament on September 8. The meeting will serve to ensure all MPs are present in Delhi ahead of the crucial vote.
According to sources, before the gathering of floor leaders, BJP top leadership – Singh, Shah, and Nadda – had already consulted with key NDA allies to seek approval for fielding a joint candidate. The BJP’s highest decision-making body, the parliamentary board, will soon convene to formally select the candidate, the sources said.
So far, there was much speculation over the vice-presidential nominee from NDA, but it is now clear that the name will come from the BJP. The nomination process for the vice presidential election has started with the last date for filing nominations on August 21.
JD(U)’s Lalan Singh, Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde, TDP’s Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, and Chirag Paswan of LJP (Ram Vilas) also attended the meeting.
OPPOSITION OUTREACH
Highly placed sources said no other formal meeting has been planned with NDA partners on the final name. Most coordination will now take place through telephonic conversations, they said.
In a bid to build consensus, the NDA government will also reach out to opposition parties. Senior ministers, including Singh, Shah, Nadda and Rijiju, will be tasked with engaging opposition leaders.
In the previous presidential election, the government’s attempt at consensus failed as the opposition declined to support NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu, due to the ruling bloc’s reluctance to share the name in advance. This time, special focus will be on reaching out to seemingly neutral regional parties such as the BJD, BRS, and YSRCP.
TRAINING, MOCK DRILL BEFORE VOTING
Sources further said the BJP is likely to announce its vice presidential candidate close to the nomination deadline. In the run-up to the election, the party may also organise a brief training session for NDA allies to familiarise them with the voting process and to ensure ‘vote discipline’ – an approach the BJP has consistently adopted since 2014.
In preparation, Shah recently met BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde, who has been entrusted with coordinating all efforts for the vice presidential polls. Closer to polling day, a mock voting drill may be held to test the bloc’s readiness, especially given that this is the first coalition government in over a decade and has young and first-time MPs.
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