Piyush Goyal asserts Naidu's win for VP post will be unprecedented

Union Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday that M. Venkaiah Naidu's victory in next month's vice-presidential elections would be unprecedented with support coming from across the political spectrum.

Goyal told ANI, "We are very proud that he is going to be the next vice-president of India. At 11 o' clock, the senior leaders will go and file their nominations. The Congress is in a hard position, but in any case, they hardly matter. Across parties, there is love, affection and adulation for Venkaiah Naidu. He is loved by all parties and leaders. His victory is going to be unprecedented with support coming from all parties across the political spectrum."

Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya also said that Naidu's nomination for the post of vice president is a proud moment for the Telugu community.

"The decision by the NDA for Venkaiah Naidu's nomination is most appreciable. He will do the rightful duty and he is an experienced person. For Telugu people, it is a very proud moment. I send my warm greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah and Venkaiah Naidu. I want all parties to support him. I also wish him good luck," Dattatreya said.

Naidu will be the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the post of vice president. The announcement was made by BJP President Amit Shah in New Delhi yesterday after a meeting of the BJP's parliamentary board.

Naidu, who was the Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information and Broadcasting, submitted his resignation yesterday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Party President Amit Shah, Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu, J P Nadda, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Ananth Kumar were present in the meeting.

Naidu was BJP president from 2002 to 2004. He was elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka in 1998 and was re-elected to the house in 2004, 2010 and 2016.

He also chaired the Committee on Petitions and Committee on Home Affairs of the Rajya Sabha. Naidu was also a cabinet minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Government.