BJP Parliamentary Board to meet today, V-P pick top on agenda

The vice-presidential polls have been necessitated after Dhankhar, in a “surprise” move on July 21, tendered his resignation citing health reasons amid the Monsoon Session.

An insider said that following the meeting, the BJP’s decision is then likely to be conveyed to NDA partners like Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by N Chandrababu Naidu and others.

In line with the alliance’s showcase of “significant unity” in the vice-presidential polls, the NDA last week had authorised Modi and BJP president J P Nadda to take a call on the alliance’s pick for the polls.

“During the Parliamentary Board meeting, senior leaders typically discuss the merits of various candidates. It concluded with the PM giving his final nod on the matter. For the vice-presidential polls, the party has screened several contenders, including sitting Governors and Lieutenant Governors as well outgoing Rajya Sabha MPs. However, the alliance is also considering the polls as an opportunity to display its unity,” a source said.

“During the filing of the nomination and on polling day, the NDA will make it a point to publicly project a united and consolidated front,” a senior BJP leader said.

Even as the NDA’s Parliamentary Party will meet on Tuesday over the issue, a three-day workshop has been organised for MPs to give them procedural training for the September 9 polls.

Sources said that the core agenda of the NDA’s meeting was to finalise the vice-presidential candidate, discussions on the 70 Rajya Sabha vacancies scheduled to arise in 2026, the ongoing gubernatorial reshuffle, Cabinet rejig and the appointment of the new BJP national president could also be on the table.