Opposition leaders likely to meet in next 2-3 days to discuss joint VP candidate

Leaders of various Opposition parties are likely to meet in the next two-three days to decide on their joint candidate for the post of vice president, sources said.

The election will take place on August 6.

Sources said the Opposition meeting could take place in the national capital on July 12 or 13 and NCP leader Sharad Pawar would attend it.

Leaders of several Opposition parties including the Congress, left parties, TMC, NCP, DMK, RJD, Samajwadi Party and some others are likely to attend the meeting.

While no names have come up yet, the leaders of Opposition parties are likely to field a joint candidate for the second top constitutional post in the country.

The NDA has also not come up with any name so far.

Former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishan Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was the joint Opposition candidate against NDA's M Venkaiah Naidu in 2017.

Naidu's term of office ends on August 10.

The Election Commission issued the notification on July 5 for the polls on August 6. The last date of making nominations is July 19 and after scrutiny on July 20, the last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is July 22.

The election will be held between 10 am to 5 pm on August 6 and the counting, if required, shall be held on the same day.

The vice president is elected by an electoral college comprising a total of 788 members of both Houses of Parliament -- 233 elected and 12 nominated members of Rajya Sabha, and 543 elected members of Lok Sabha.