A new political journey for Naidu will rise above party politics

With an overwhelming vote in his favour, Vice President-elect Venkaiah Naidu has embarked on a new political journey that will test him constantly as a guardian of India’s Upper House. 

As chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Naidu’s task will be two- fold. 

He will have to ensure the smooth functioning of the House for the government to conduct its legislative business. 

Secondly, Naidu has the herculean task of letting the Opposition’s voice be heard by ensuring opportunity for its leaders to speak. 

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tweets after his victory indicated what the government expected from him, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s response underscored Naidu's task. 

“House of Elders is an important determinant of our democratic functioning to address appropriate checks and balances,” she said. 

Her party's leader in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad made it clear that Naidu will have an onerous responsibility, as “the Opposition will never compromise on ideology whether we face defeat or victory.”