The Hindu : Front Page : NDA nominee is Najma Heptulla

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Monday, Jul 23, 2007
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NDA nominee is Najma Heptulla

Neena Vyas

Shiv Sena, Trinamool Congress absent at the meeting at Vajpayee’s residence

Najma Heptulla

NEW DELHI: The National Democratic Alliance on Sunday announced that the former Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, Najma Heptulla, will be its Vice-Presidential candidate.

Ms. Heptulla’s candidature was finalised at a meeting of NDA leaders at the residence of the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Sunday evening.

‘Unanimous choice’

“It was a unanimous choice,” Bharatiya Janata Party leader V.K. Malhotra said. His colleague Sushma Swaraj added that the decision was taken “entirely on merit.”

Among others, the meeting was attended by Janata Dal (United) leaders George Fernandes, Sharad Yadav and Digvijay Singh, S.S. Dhindsa of the Akali Dal and B.J. Panda from the Biju Janata Dal.

Two important NDA allies – Shiv Sena and the Trinamool Congress – were absent.

Mr. Malhotra said the decision would be conveyed to the two parties but pointed out that no prior consultation was done.

Legislators of the two parties had broken ranks with the BJP on the Presidential election. While the Sena voted for United Progressive Alliance candidate Pratibha Patil, the Trinamool stayed away from the electoral process.

It is not immediately known what they will do in the Vice-Presidential election.

Ms. Heptulla joined the Congress in 1973 and continued to be its member till just before the 2004 Lok Sabha election when she joined the BJP.

She is now serving her fifth term as Rajya Sabha member. She was a Congress MP four times and was elected Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha in 1988. She continued with the post till joining the BJP.

The BJP is relying on Ms. Heptulla’s personal equations with MPs cutting across party lines and not the electoral arithmetic to give a fight.

However, even BJP leaders are sceptical. They pointed out that MPs would vote only for the candidates of their parties.

The total number of votes in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha is 781.

The NDA’s strength is 240, including the Shiv Sena and the Trinamool, while the United Progressive Alliance, with its supporting Left parties, has 401 votes.

— PHOTO: ANU PUSHKARNA

ON TO THE NEXT TASK: National Democratic Alliance leaders (from left) L.K. Advani, George Fernandes, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Rajnath Singh, Sharad Yadav and S.S. Dhindsa at a meeting at Mr. Vajpayee’s residence in New Delhi on Sunday.

If the Bahujan Samaj Party goes along with the UPA, as it did in the Presidential poll, the tally would go up to 425, which means a clear win for Hamid Ansari.

The United National Progressive Alliance, comprising the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Samajwadi Party, the Telugu Desam, the Indian National Lok Dal and other parties accounts for 81 votes. It has declared Rasheed Masood of the SP as its candidate.

The three-way contest is expected to help the ruling alliance get its candidate through comfortably.

Matter of pride: Najma

PTI reports:

Ms. Heptulla said it was a matter of great pride that she was chosen the NDA’s Vice-Presidential candidate.

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