NDA names Jaswant as its Vice Presidential candidate

After a meeting of NDA partners here today, its Working Chairman L K Advani announced that Jaswant Singh has been chosen as the coalition's vice-presidential candidate.

Advani said the NDA was opposing Ansari for his "conduct" in the Rajya Sabha during the Lokpal Bill debate when he had "abruptly" adjourned the House.

NDA will solicit support of parties like AIADMK, BJD and others for Singh, Advani said. He did not rule out talking to UPA ally TMC on the matter. TMC had proposed the names of Gopal Krishna Gandhi and Krishna Bose as possible candidates and is yet to clarify if it will vote for Ansari.

BJP tried to use the Vice-Presidential election as an opportunity to mend its ties with ally JD(U)- which has openly differed with the party on several issues including support to UPA Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee. It had reached out to JD(U) President Sharad Yadav to become NDA's Vice-presidential candidate.

"Sharad Yadav's name had come up in the public domain as a possible candidate for vice-president. Sushma Swaraj had talked to him day before yesterday and requested him to consider. But he said his nature does not permit as today he is engaged in active politics freely and this post will hamper it," Advani said.

74-year-old Singh's name then came up as an "unanimous" choice and all NDA partners, including Shiv Sena, agreed. (MORE)