Naidu takes oath as new Vice President

M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday took oath as the new Vice President at a simple ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan's Durbar Hall here.

President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath of office to the former Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Hindi.

Naidu, 68, who was hitherto part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet, succeeded M. Hamid Ansari who served two consecutive terms since August 2007.

Nominated by the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Naidu won the August 5 poll defeating former West Bengal Governor and Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

Naidu won 516 out of the 760 valid votes, winning the highest vote share in three decades in the vice presidential poll.

A two-time Union Minister and four-time Rajya Sabha member, Naidu earlier held the Parliamentary Affairs, Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development portfolios.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his predecessor Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh were among those present on the occasion.

Earlier, Naidu paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. He also paid tributes to Jan Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya, besides Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar.

--IANS

kd/in-py-ksk/dg