New Delhi: Before finalising its candidate for the post of Vice President, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also likely to declare the name of its new national president. According to sources, there is already a broad consensus between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on all key appointments. This may also include the appointment of state presidents for remaining states, including politically significant Uttar Pradesh.
The last date for filing the nomination for the post of Vice President is 21 August. While Prime Minister Modi does not require consultation for the BJP president’s appointment, he will need to take National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies into confidence before finalising the Vice President candidate. Discussions with allies are expected in the coming week. Indications are that the NDA’s partners will not oppose the BJP’s choice.
With Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party standing firmly with the government, the BJP is confident of electing its nominee without much challenge.
This time, the BJP is expected to choose a Vice Presidential candidate from an RSS background. The party wants to avoid conflicts that have previously arisen from choosing non-RSS individuals. Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik did not have RSS affiliations—while Dhankhar has stayed silent after resignation, Malik made controversial statements seen as damaging to the BJP. To avoid such instances, BJP is inclined to pick someone firmly rooted within its ideological fold.
In terms of numbers, the BJP has a decisive advantage. The Vice President is elected by an electoral college of 788 MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, with 394 votes needed to win. Currently, the NDA has 293 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 130 in the Rajya Sabha—adding up to 423 MPs. This gives the BJP a clear path to victory for any candidate it proposes. NDA unity, as demonstrated during the Monsoon session of Parliament, further strengthens BJP’s position. Allies such as TDP and JDU are expected to support the party’s candidate without reservations.
On the other hand, the INDIA bloc (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) faces challenges. It remains unclear whether the Congress will field its own candidate or offer the opportunity to an ally. Managing unity within the opposition alliance will be a key challenge. Additionally, opposition parties are likely to raise the politics of caste and representation—specifically the backward classes—as a major theme in the Vice Presidential election. Developments such as “Operation Sindoor” and the American tariff issue have shown that keeping INDIA bloc allies together may not be easy. In the 2022 Vice Presidential election, the Trinamool Congress had helped the BJP by abstaining from voting, and history could repeat itself.
Congress is expected to choose a Dalit or OBC candidate to appeal to backward class politics. Meanwhile, BJP is reportedly examining all social and political factors. It is expected that the BJP will first announce new state presidents—including for Uttar Pradesh—before making official declarations regarding the Vice President and National President.
If a Brahmin is chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate, an OBC may be named as the National President, while a Dalit could be appointed as the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh state president. However, the final caste equations will only be clear once the names are officially announced.
