Jagdeep Dhankhar takes oath as 14th Vice President of India
Jagdeep Dhankhar was sworn in as the 14th Vice President of India by President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday. The former West Bengal governor emerged as the winner against opposition candidate Margaret Alva in the vice presidential polls last week. Dhankhar clinched 528 or 74% of the total valid votes, while Alva managed to score 182 or 26% of the valid ballots.
Why does this story matter?
Dhankhar was leading the race from early on as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) NDA had the support of the required number of MPs and the backing of several smaller parties. He was a practicing lawyer and became a Union minister in the Chandra Shekhar government (1990-91). Dhankhar—as West Bengal's governor—was at loggerheads with CM Mamata Banerjee for most of his term.
Dhankhar succeeds Naidu
Dhankhar took oath as the 14th Vice President at a short ceremony in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and several other cabinet ministers. The 71-year-old succeeds Venkaiah Naidu to become India's new Vice President. Dhankhar will also serve as the de-facto Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Watch: President Murmu administers oath to Jagdeep Dhankhar
Largest victory margin since 1997
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate won the majority of votes in the polls held on August 6. While 725 of the total 780 electors cast ballots, 15 votes were judged to be invalid. Dhankhar received 74.36% of all valid votes, making it the largest margin of victory in the past six vice presidential elections since 1997.
Opposition parties supported Dhankhar for VP
Andhra Pradesh's ruling Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supported Dhankhar. Notably, these parties had also supported Droupadi Murmu during the presidential election last month.
Who is 'son of soil' Jagdeep Dhankhar?
A jat from Rajasthan, Dhankhar grew up in a family of farmers and walked six kilometers to school daily. After completing his LLB, he joined the Rajasthan High Court and moved on to the Supreme Court. In 1989, he won the Jhunjhunu Lok Sabha seat on a Janta Dal ticket and served as MoS for Parliamentary Affairs in the Chandra Shekhar government in 1990.
A political career of many hues
Dhankhar joined Congress under PV Narsimha Rao's prime ministership and then abandoned the ship to join the BJP in 2003. As an influential Jat leader in Rajasthan, he is presumed to help BJP get an upper edge in state polls next year. Appointed as WB Governor in 2019, Dhankhar is known for his infamous tiffs with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
