Vice President will be someone closely associated with BJP’s ideology

NEW DELHI: Unconfirmed reports say the next vice president will be a senior BJP leader. There were speculations earlier that the BJP may consider key allies, such as Nitish Kumar, JDU chief, for the post vacated by the sudden exit of Jagdeep Dhankar.

However, a prominent BJP leader told a national media that 'the Vice President will be someone who is closely associated with the party's ideology'. JD (U) leader and Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur had met BJP national president J P Nadda earlier. Reports then came that Ram Nath Thakur would become the Vice President.

Ram Nath Thakur is the son of Karpoori Thakur, former chief minister of Bihar, and Bharat Ratna awardee. Dhankar, who was the Governor of Bengal in 2022, was nominated as the Vice President with the title of being a farmer's son. The government aimed to appease the Jat community, which was at loggerheads with the BJP in Rajasthan, where assembly elections were due next year. There were reports that Ram Nath Thakur might be considered for Dhankar's successor if caste norms were followed.

However, BJP sources also dismissed such reports. Sources also clarified that BJP leaders have not spoken to the JDP leadership about it.

The Election Commission has begun preparations to hold elections to the vacant post of Vice-President following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankar.