While the debate around elections for the President of India has not subsided, the search for India’s next Vice President has begun. The election for VP is scheduled to happen on 6th August 2022. Currently, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by BJP, has sufficient numbers to get their candidate elected to the office of Vice President of India.
Who can be the Vice President candidate from NDA?
Many probable faces are making the headlines and everyone has their own merits and demerits for being elected to the esteemed office. Some of the names in the race for VP are said to be Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, BJP stalwart Muslim leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Former Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Further, a twitter handle named Niks, who had successfully predicted both the earlier Presidential candidates of NDA – Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu, has pointed out some of his top picks.
Potential Vice President candidates are in this thread
Key criteria –
1. Few to zero enemies across parties as NDA is in minority in RS
2. From BJP
3. Meets at few criteria that can help with symbolism
(Thread)— Niks (@niks_1985) July 2, 2022
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Additionally, the re-election of the current Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu is also on the cards. His tenure has been one of the most successful ones. Under him, productivity of the Rajya Sabha improved drastically. Thanks to his cooperative nature many important laws were passed through the house amicably. Age is also on his side. He hails from Andhra Pradesh. BJP has been trying to make political inroads in the Southern states. So, by re-electing him, the BJP may aim to get some gains in the Southern states.
Why then special stress on the name of Captain Amarinder Singh?
Many media reports are claiming him to be the most probable pick of the NDA as the Vice President candidate. Additionally, the office of Captain Amarinder Singh has also hinted that he is in the race for the post of Vice President. He is in the news for a different reason as well. It is being claimed that he may soon merge his political party, Punjab Lok Congress, with BJP. If it becomes a reality, the saffron party, BJP will be strengthened in Punjab which is trying to capture the space of principal opposition party.
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But here we are giving some reasons why we think Captain Amarinder Singh would be a bad pick of the NDA as a Vice President candidate.
Brief History of Captain Amarinder Singh’s long illustrious career
Amarinder Singh was born in the royal family of Patiala. He is the son of the last Maharaja of the Princely state of Patiala. He is an Army veteran and served the Indian Army from 1963 to 1966. In 1965, he fought the Indo-Pakistan war. He was a close friend of Rajiv Gandhi, who brought him to Congress and introduced him to the political arena.
In 1980, he won the Lok Sabha seat for the first time. In 1984, he resigned from the Parliament and Congress membership, to protest against the Army for Operation Blue Star; launched to exterminate armed Khalistanis hiding inside the sacred complex of The Golden Temple.
Later, Captain Amarinder joined Shiromani Akali Dal, was elected to the state legislature and became a minister in the state government. In 1992, he parted ways from Akali and formed a separate group named Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic). He merged his political outfit with Congress in 1998. He had served thrice as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. He has twice served as the Chief Minister of Punjab.
Why not a good pick for the post of VP?
First thing that doesn’t go in his favour is his age and health issues. He has recently undergone a spinal surgery in London. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also spoken to him over the phone, regarding his health. Even after the surgery, he is not in the best of physical fitness required to carry out the important functions as the Vice President of India.
In his last term as Chief Minister of Punjab, it is alleged that he rarely went to the state secretariat. Reports claim that he spent most of the time in his Chandigarh farm house and was not socially and politically active.
Second, the BJP, with its Antyodaya Policy, has been working relentlessly to uplift the socially vulnerable sections of the society. It has socially and politically empowered the youth, economically weaker sections, SCs, STs and OBCs.
For that, it has been empowering them and appointments of APJ Abdul Kalam, Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu are its efforts in that direction. So, to appoint an already socially, politically strong Captain Amarinder, who hails from a Princely family would not fit with its policy of empowering the weaker sections.
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Thirdly, the Vice President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. So, the party would want someone who has a good working relationship with the opposition leaders.
The Chairman of RS has to take the entire house along with him/her to function the house smoothly and without to and fro accusations on the honourable chair of RS. But, the unceremonious ouster of the Punjab CM has soured the relationship between him and the opposition.
So, appointing him can mean daily ruckus in the house and regular accusations of biases and what not. Plus, he is not that active who can stop the opposition in case of ruckus and not let the house adjourn regularly.
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Fourth, Captain Amarinder Singh is not in his prime in terms of politics. Currently, his political outfit has no stronghold in Punjab politics arena and is akin to any fringe party. Merger of his political outfit in BJP can be a good sign for BJP and may strengthen it slightly, but there will be no political earthquake because of it.
BJP is already looking good to assert its presence as the main opposition party in the state and wipe out the Congress from the political scenario. So, nominating him as the Vice President candidate of NDA will not make much of a difference in Punjab, if that is being considered for this reason alone.
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Fifth, Captain Amarinder Singh has been a long time Congress leader. As aforementioned, he has turned coats many times in his political career. This also goes against him, as the party has been known to reward karyakartas who have risen through their hard work, service and tireless efforts in strengthening the party, BJP. So, crowning a relatively ‘outsider’ will send a wrong impression among the party cadre.
Further, there is no x-factor working for him that can trump other candidates doing rounds in the news. BJP who has been known for its surprise appointments and empowering the weaker section has to gain very little from captain’s candidature. That is why we think he won’t be a good pick for the esteemed office of Vice President.
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