Know why BJP picked Venkaiah Naidu as NDA's vice-presidential candidate

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday nominated Union urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu as the NDA vice-presidential candidate.

Naidu, 68, has had a long experience in public life as he served twice as BJP president and four-time Rajya Sabha MP. At present, he is serving responsibilities of two portfolios in the Modi government. 

These are the possible factors which led to his selection-

BJP’s face in Southern region-

Venkaiah hails from Nellore and it was already stated that RSS was in favour of fielding a candidate who belong to upper caste and from South India. The saffron party has already filed Ram nath Kovind from Uttar Pradesh in the Presidential elections. So, the move can be seen as the balancing act of the party.

Party’s strong candidate in Rajya Sabha

 Venkaiah Naidu is Rajya Saabha MP from Rajasthan and he was earlier parliamentary affairs minister in the Modi government. As the vice-president also happens to be chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah could be seen as strengthen for the party in the Upper House where party is in minority.

 Dedicated party worker –

Venkaiah Naidu has always emerged as party’s Sankat Mochak to resolve any crisis which the party had faced in past. He reached out opposition on critical issues and defended the government at several times in the Rajya Sabha.

His political career started during 'Jai Andhra Movement' in 1972. He was imprisoned under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the emergency.Naidu was president of Janata Party Youth Wing of Andhra Pradesh between 1977 and 1980.

Also Read: BJP's Venkaiah Naidu is NDA's vice presidential nominee, to file nomination on Tuesday

 His leadership skills helped his political career and he won the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections twice in 1978 and 1983 from Udayagiri constituency. He also served as Union minister for rural development in the ministry of Vajpayee Government.