Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s proposal to give Hamid Ansari a consecutive term as Vice-President has created discord in the Opposition on ways to address the matter, which is proving to be a potential challenge to their show of unity. Manmohan Singh had, while discussing the August 7 Vice-Presidential election with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Janata Dal (United), suggested the continuation of the 75-year-old former diplomat in the country’s second-highest office.
As for the main Opposition National Democratic Alliance, the July 19 presidential poll itself has created differences between its two lead parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United) are yet to sort out their differences on the issue. Now, there is a chance of another dispute between the two allies, as the BJP has decided to oppose the candidate of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), while the JD(U) is keeping its options open.
Senior JD(U) leaders are in favour of Ansari getting a second term, but they want the UPA to officially announce it before taking a final decision. The JD(U) leadership believes there should be no contest in the election for the Vice- President.
“There is no doubt that we are in favour of Ansari,” said a senior JD(U) leader. “We were ready to support both Pranab Mukherjee and Ansari for the post of President. We would like to see all political parties unanimously select the Vice President. A final decision of our party, though, will be taken at the meeting of the leaders.”
Senior BJP leaders have made it clear there would be no consensus on the vice-presidential election as well, because the Opposition party could not be seen as supporting a person nominated by the ruling combine. “How can we support a candidate decided by the UPA government?” asked a senior BJP leader. “We would ideally want all Opposition parties to join hands and select a candidate who will contest against the UPA nominee.”
The BJP leadership had recently met at the residence of party president Nitin Gadkari to discuss the the vice-presidential election. A section of the leaders are of the opinion that the party should not put its own candidate; instead allow a candidate from other Opposition parties. This, they think, would bring unanimity among various Opposition parties, and would also prompt the parties -- especially regional ones -- to join hands against the UPA’s candidate.