After Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation, Manipur governor La Ganesan has been given additional charge of West Bengal by President Ram Nath Kovind. The BJP on Saturday named Dhankhar, a Jat leader from Rajasthan with socialist background, as the ruling National Democratic Alliance's vice presidential candidate.
Former union minister Margaret Alva will be the Opposition challenger to Dhankhar.
Making the announcement, BJP president J P Nadda lauded Dhankhar as a "kisan-putra" (son of farmer) who, he said, established himself as a "people's governor".
The BJP on Saturday named West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, a Jat leader from Rajasthan with socialist background, as the ruling National Democratic Alliance's vice presidential candidate.
Making the announcement, BJP president J P Nadda lauded Dhankhar as a "kisan-putra" (son of farmer) who, he said, established himself as a "people's governor".
Soon after his name was announced, Dhankhar tweeted, "Thank you Narendra Modi ji for nominating me as the Vice President candidate for the vice presidential election."
Since taking over as the West Bengal Governor in July 2019, Dhankhar has had several run-ins with the Mamata Banerjee government.
While his proactive conduct has drawn criticism from the state's ruling Trinamul Congress, the BJP has backed him.
Being a Jat, a backward community in Rajasthan, his elevation as vice president is likely to send helpful political message for the BJP as not many Jats besides former prime minister Charan Singh and former deputy prime minister Devi Lal have occupied high positions at the national level.
The BJP has had uneasy relations with Jats, a powerful agrarian community in Haryana, Rajsthan and western Uttar Pradesh, though the party has received their support in good numbers in the recent two Lok Sabha polls compared to assembly elections in these states.
BJP leaders noted that Dhankhar has been in public life for more than three decades, and his life story reflects the spirit of new India: "overcoming innumerable social and economic hurdles and achieving one's goals".
