V-P: Najma is NDA nominee

Wasn’t all that keen considering the numbers against her

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will field Najma Heptulla as its candidate for the post of vice-president. But the cracks which developed in the alliance in the run up to the presidential elections continued as the Shiv Sena and the Trinamool Congress stayed away from the meeting on Sunday which decided to field Heptulla to take on the UPA’s Hamid Ansari and UNPA’s Rasheed Masood.

Heptulla herself was not all that keen to fight an election where the numbers are clearly against the NDA. She had to be persuaded by the BJP leadership to enter the fray. “The party wants me to contest and therefore I will,” she said.

Announcing her candidature, NDA spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said: “Building a consensus is the responsibility of the ruling alliance and as opposition it is our dharma to contest.” Heptulla will file her nominations on Monday.

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Swaraj accused the ruling alliance of having made no moves for a consensus candidate. “In a democracy, the Opposition is duty-bound to give a fight if those in power do no reach out to it for a consensus candidate,” Swaraj said.

The UPA-Left combine has announced Ansari as its candidate for the post, while the UNPA is fielding Masood, a Samajwadi party MP. Monday is the last day for filing nominations for the election on August 10.

“She is the most suitable candidate for the job. The decision to field her was solely based on merit,” Swaraj said, adding that the NDA would approach the Shiv Sena and Trinamool for support.