Vice Presidential Candidates 2022: Former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has been nominated as the BJP-led NDA’s Vice President Candidate. His resignation from the post of West Bengal Governor was accepted by President Ram Nath Kovind on July 17, 2022. Manipur Governor La. Ganesan has been given additional charge of West Bengal.
BJP had announced Jagdeep Dhankar’s candidature for Vice President Elections 2022 on July 16, 2022. A communique released from the Rashtrapati Bhavan late evening on July 17th read, “The President of India has accepted the resignation of Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar as Governor of West Bengal and is pleased to appoint La. Ganesan, Governor of Manipur, to discharge the functions of the governor of West Bengal, in addition to his own duties until regular arrangements are made.”
The opposition, on the other hand, has decided to field former Rajasthan governor Margaret Alva as their joint candidate for the vice presidential election 2022. Alva’s candidature was announced by NCP Chief Sharad Pawar after a meeting of the opposition leaders of 17 parties. Margaret Alva is expected to file her nominations on July 19th.
Jagdeep Dhankhar vs Margaret Alva: Which party is supporting which candidate?
The AIADMK has extended its support to the NDA’s Presidential and Vice Presidential canidates, Droupadi Murmu and Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Naveen Patnaik-led BJD has also announced its support to NDA’s presidential and vice presidential candidates. In 2017, BJD had supported NDA’s Ram Nath Kovind for Presidential candidature and opposition’s candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi for the post of Vice President.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said on July 17 that the party will support opposition’s Vice Presidential candidate Margaret Alva. Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray had earlier confirmed the party’s support to NDA’s Presidential Candidate Droupadi Murmu.
Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP are yet to extend their support to the opposition’s vice presidential candidate. The TMC is expected to announce its support for a vice presidential candidate by July 21, after a meeting of the TMC Parliamentarians chaired by the party supremo.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar stated that the Opposition parties have reached out to TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking support for Margaret Alva’s candidature for Vice President Elections 2022.
Jagdeep Dhankhar vs Margaret Alva: Meet Vice Presidential Candidates 2022
Margaret Alva Biography: Know 9 Lesser Known Facts
1. Margaret Alva formerly served as 17th Goa Governor (July 2014-August 2014), 23rd Gujarat Governor (July 7, 2014- July 15, 2014), 20th Governor of Rajasthan (May 2012 – August 2014) and 4th Governor of Uttarakhand (August 2009-May 2012).
2. She was elected to the Rajya Sabha for the first time as a Congress Representative in April 1974. She served a six term year and was re-elected for three for terms in 1980, 1986 and 1992.
3. She served as the Vice-Chairman of the Rajya Sabha from 1983-85.
4. She also served as the Union Minister of State in Parliamentary Affairs Ministry from 1984-85 and for Youth and Sports and Women and Child Development.
5. She was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999 from Uttara Kannada constituency. She lost re-election in 2004.
6. She served as General Secretary of All India Congress Committee between 2004-2009.
7. She became the first female governor of Uttarakhand on August 6, 2009.
8. Margaret Alva’s decision to enter politics in 1969 was strongly influenced by her husband and in-laws who were Members of Parliament representing the Indian National Congress.
9. During the time of Congress split, she had aligned herself with the Congress (Indira) faction led by Indira Gandhi and worked for its Karnataka state unit.
Jagdeep Dhankar Biography: Know 8 Important Facts
1. Jagdeep Dhankhar served as the 27th Governor of West Bengal from July 2019 till July 2022.
He was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party prior becoming the Governor of West Bengal.
2. He also served as the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ministry from 1990-1991 under the then PM Chandra Shekhar’s Cabinet.
3. Dhankhar had enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Rajasthan in 1979.
4. He was designated as Senior Advocate by Rajasthan’s High Court of Judicature in 1990.
5. He was the senior-most designated Senior Advocate of the state till taking oath as West Bengal Governor on July 30, 2019.
6. He has also served as the President of Rajasthan High Court Bar Association, Jaipur previously.
7. He was elected as a member of the 9th Lok Sabha from Jhunjhunu constituency in Rajasthan during the 1989–91 elections, as a representative of the Janata Dal.
8. He was later elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Kishangarh constituency in Rajasthan during the 1993 state assembly elections.
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