If elected, NDA's Dhankhar will be second vice-president from Rajasthan

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar will be the second leader from Rajasthan to reach the high office of vice president, if he is elected in the August 6 vice-presidential poll.

Dhankhar, whose name was announced as the ruling National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) vice-presidential candidate on Saturday, belongs to the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan.

Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who was also from the Shekhawati region, held the office as the 11th vice president of the country from August 2002 to July 2007.

The Shekhawati region comprises Sikar, Jhunjhunu and nearby areas in north-east Rajasthan.

While Shekhawat, a stalwart Rajput leader and a former Rajasthan chief minister, was from Sikar, Jat leader Dhankhar is from Jhunjhunu.

Dhankhar's election as the vice president is almost a certainty as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a majority in the electoral college comprising the members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje and members of the lawyer fraternity have welcomed the candidature of Dhankhar.

"Hearty congratulations and best wishes to BJP and NDA's candidate for the post of Vice President, farmer's son Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar ji," Poonia said in a tweet on Saturday.

Raje also took to Twitter to congratulate Dhankhar on being nominated as the NDA candidate for the post of vice president.