Vice-Presidential poll: NDA's candidate Venkaiah Naidu files nomination; says his party is his mother

Flanked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and veteran BJP leader L K Advani, former minister M Venkaiah Naidu today filed his nomination papers for the vice presidential election.

BJP president Amit Shah, senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi as well as leaders from BJP allies and those from other regional parties, including the AIADMK and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, accompanied Naidu as he filed his papers in the parliament complex.

The Shiv Sena was also present.

Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and several top leaders of the NDA were among those who proposed and seconded Naidu’s candidature in the several 

Live updates from the nomination of Vice-Presidential candidates:

#12:20 PM: Venkaiah Naidu PC 

-Honoured to be a candidate for Vice President of India. I have been actively engaged in public life for over four decades

-Office of Vice President is a different profile, has its functional norms. Hope I will be able to do justice. Grateful to PM

-India's strength and beauty lie in Parliamentary democratic system. It will be my endeavour to strengthen that further

-On being elected I will uphold traditions, standards set by the worthy predecessors and maintain dignity of office

-Lost my mother at a very young age, treated my party as my mother and they brought me up to this level

-I have resigned from Council of  Ministers, conveyed to Prime Minister and sent a letter too last night

-Had told my colleagues that I want to see PM Modi come back again in 2019 and then I will call it off and join social service

-But destiny decided otherwise.Finally after discussion, I have agreed. I have withdrawn myself from party, do not belong to BJP now

-I will be continuing as MP because there is voting also

# 11:52 AM

BJD extends support to Opposition Vice-Presidential candidate GopalKrishna Gandhi, says Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik

# 11:48 AM

On my way to file my nomination for Vice-Presidential polls with a sense of respect and gratitude towards citizens of India: Gopalkrishna Gandhi

# 11:34 AM

I thank Thambidurai and MPs from AIADMK for extending their warm wishes and support, tweets NDA Vice Presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu

# 11:32 AM

Delhi: Venkaiah Naidu files nomination for Vice Presidential poll; PM Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and other NDA leaders present

# 11:24 AM

Delhi: PM Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and other NDA leaders reach Parliament to file nomination of Vice President candidate Venkaiah Naidu

Delhi: PM Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and other NDA leaders reach Parliament to file nomination of #VicePresident candidate #VenkaiahNaidu pic.twitter.com/czhUZCJuKb

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 18, 2017

# 10:56 AM

Venkaiah Naidu resigns as Union minister, additional charge of Ministry of Urban Development given to Narendra Tomar, I&B to Smriti Irani

# 10:55 AM

Happy that Mulayam Singh ji blessed me and extended his full support, tweets NDA's Vice-Presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu

# 10:17 AM

Delhi: NDA's Vice Presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu arrives in Parliament to file nomination

Delhi: NDA's #VicePresidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu arrives in Parliament to file nomination pic.twitter.com/4lJOve40Hs

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 18, 2017

# 10:10 AM

Delhi: NDA's Vice Presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu meets MM Joshi and LK Advani; to file nomination today

Delhi: NDA's #VicePresidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu meets MM Joshi & LK Advani; to file nomination today. pic.twitter.com/B1lDbJLKwg

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 18, 2017

# 9:40 AM

NDA's Vice Presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu leaves from his residence in Delhi, to file nomination today

# 9:35 AM

Across political spectrum, all parties heartily welcomed decision. Foregone conclusion, his will be an unprecedented victory: P Goyal on V naidu

# 9:32 AM

The Opposition in India is a very large entity and 18 parties have asked me to be their vice-president candidate GopalKrishna Gandhi

# 9:30 AM

Have accepted the invitation with a sense of gratitude and responsibility:Gopalkrishna Gandhi ahead of filing nomination for Vice-Presidential polls

Naidu was picked as the National Democratic Alliance’s candidate for the vice presidential election with consensus at the BJP Parliamentary board meeting held on Monday. NDA allies were also present.

Naidu, 68, has had a long experience in public life as he served twice as BJP president and four-time Rajya Sabha MP.

Opposition's candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi will also file his nomination for the vice presidential elections on Tuesday.