- Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President of India on July 21 citing health reasons
- When Shashi Tharoor was asked who the next Veep would be, he replied: "No idea"
- The next Vice President election will be held on September 9 with nominations by August 21
Days after Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said he has "no idea" who the next Vice President would be, adding that it would be a nominee of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"All we know is that it will be somebody whom the ruling party nominates, as we already know the composition of the electorate. It's the two houses of Parliament. Unlike the Presidential election, where the state assemblies also vote. For the Vice President, it's only the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. So we already know the majority. I think it's fairly clear that the next vice president will be the nominee of the ruling party," he said.
Mr Tharoor added that he "hopes" the Centre consults the Opposition on selecting the next Vice President.
"We hope they consult the Opposition too, but who knows," the Congress leader said.
The election for the next Vice President will be held on September 9, and the notification will be issued on August 7, the Election Commission said. The last date for filing nomination papers will be August 21. The result of the election will be announced on the polling day - September 9 - itself.
The Vice President of India is elected by an Electoral College comprising the elected members and nominated members of the Rajya Sabha and the elected members of the Lok Sabha.
The strength of both the Houses together is 782, and the winning Vice Presidential candidate will require 391 votes, considering that all eligible voters exercise their franchise. In the Lok Sabha, the NDA enjoys the support of 293 of the 542 members and 129 members of the 240 in the Rajya Sabha. The ruling alliance has the support of 422 members.
Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns
Jagdeep Dhankhar, who served as the 14th Vice President of India since August 2022, stepped down on July 21 - the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. His term was to end on August 10, 2027. He cited health reasons for his exit officially, but sources have hinted at a possible breakdown of trust between him and the Centre. The tensions rose when Mr Dhankhar refused to align with the government's stand on Justice Yashwant Varma's impeachment.
As Vice President, Mr Dhankhar also served as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, where he presided over several key legislative sessions.
Mr Dhankhar had been hospitalised multiple times over the past year for health concerns, most recently in Nainital. The exact nature of his illness has not been disclosed.
