Saptrishi Soni: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Parliamentary Board convened in Delhi this Sunday, underlining the urgent task of finalizing the NDA’s nominee for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election. The meeting featured an all-star lineup — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh among others — signaling the significance the party attaches to this constitutional vacancy. While no formal decision was publicly disclosed, insiders confirmed that the choice for the Vice-Presidency was the central subject of discussion. This meeting comes in the wake of the unanimous NDA resolution passed earlier in the month, entrusting PM Modi and Mr. Nadda to finalize the candidature With former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s mid-term resignation on July 21 for health reasons — himself a BJP/RSS-aligned figure who enjoyed significant influence in the Rajya Sabha — the post must now be swiftly filled through a high-stakes electoral contest.
Reflecting on the Evolution: BJP’s Past Vice-Presidential Picks
To fully grasp the strategic calculus behind this choice, it helps to trace the path laid by previous BJP and NDA vice-presidential nominations.
2017: M. Venkaiah Naidu
In July 2017, BJP’s parliamentary board unanimously chose M. Venkaiah Naidu as their candidate — a strategic pick aimed at strengthening the party’s southern base while ensuring proficient leadership of the Rajya Sabha. Naidu, a veteran parliamentarian and union minister, was seen as a safe, respected figure across party lines. He ultimately won by a comfortable margin.
2012: Jaswant Singh
A decade earlier, in 2012, Jaswant Singh was fielded by the NDA against incumbent Mohammad Hamid Ansari. Though Singh lost, this choice was rooted in his stature as a seasoned statesman capable of steering parliamentary dignity — a hallmark of the BJP’s approach to the vice-presidency even in challenging contexts.
2022: Jagdeep Dhankhar
Most recently, in 2022, the NDA nominated Jagdeep Dhankhar — then Governor of West Bengal — as their Vice-Presidential entrant. The BJP projected him as a “kisan putra” (farmer’s son) with grassroots appeal, and he secured a record victory with over 74% of the vote share.
A Strategic Crossroads in 2025
With this historical backdrop, the current cabinet must now balance similar complex variables: ensuring RSS confidence, maintaining alliances within the NDA, selecting a candidate with Rajya Sabha acceptability, and avoiding power tensions like the recent Dhankhar resignation fallout. Reportedly, names under consideration include Governors such as Acharya Devvrat and Thawar Chand Gehlot, whose community ties and political credentials align with the BJP’s strategic needs.
The outcome of this week’s deliberations will set the tone for India’s governance landscape, reinforcing whether the vice-presidency remains a ceremonial post or evolves into a pivotal fulcrum of coalition comfort, ideological alignment, and upper-house management.
