Congress President Sonia Gandhi has been authorized by the party to decide the candidate like she did in the Presidential elections.
Ansari was the second preference of Congress for the Presidential election after Pranab Mukherjee when Gandhi had zeroed in on the Presidential candidate of UPA after consultations with all constituent allies and supporting allies.
Kishore Chandra Deo, hailing from Andhra Pradesh, is one of the senior most tribal leaders of Congress as also Jamir who had been the Governor of Maharashtra and Goa.
There is a view in the party that putting up a tribal candidate for the post of Vice President will blunt the campaign of Oppostion Presidential nominee P A Sangma against Congress for not backing a tribal candidate.
A section of party men also speak about Sushil Kumar Shinde who was the Opposition candidate for the Vice Presidentship ten years ago against BJP's Bhairon Singh Shekhawat during NDA rule at the Centre. Shinde is a Dalit face of the party.
Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil, who missed the Presidential bus in 2007, is also said to be an aspirant for Vice President this time.
Meanwhile, BJP is not keen on putting up its own candidate as the numbers are not stacked in its favour. It may instead bank on one of its allies fielding a candidate and supporting him or her. (MORE)
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