The numbers for the vice-presidential election are heavily stacked in favour of the National Democratic Alliance’s nominee Jagdeep Dhankhar, the former governor of West Bengal known for his frequent run-ins with the Mamata Banerjee government. The NDA nominee is likely to get over 515 votes with the support of some regional parties like YSR Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, AIADMK and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), which is enough for a comfortable victory. If elected, Dhankhar will be the second leader from Rajasthan after Bhairon Singh Shekhawat to reach the high office of vice president. (Also Read | Explained: How the vice-president of India is elected?)
5 things to know about Jagdeep Dhankhar:
Education: Dhankhar was born in an agrarian household in a remote village in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district. After finishing his schooling from Sainik School, Chittorgarh, he did graduation in Physics and then pursued LLB from the University of Rajasthan.
Career in Law: Dhankhar became one of the leading lawyers in Rajasthan and practiced in both the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court. He also headed Rajasthan High Court Bar Association.
Public life: He forayed into politics in 1989 and was elected to Lok Sabha from Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu the same year. He served as a minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs in the Janata Dal government led by Chandra Shekhar. From 1993-1998, Dhankhar represented the Kishangarh constituency of Ajmer district in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. Dhankar belongs to the Jat community, a politically important caste which influences votes in a number of north Indian states.
Stint as Bengal governor: Dhankhar, who has in the past claimed to be a `reluctant politician’, had a tumultuous relationship with the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The TMC leadership has often accused him of acting as an `agent of the BJP’, but Dhankhar maintained that he has gone by the rule book and the Constitution on several issues ranging from post-poll violence to delays in assent to bills passed in the House.
Personal life: He is married to Sudesh Dhankhar and they have a daughter.
(With PTI inputs)
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