Who will be new Vice President? As Jagdeep Dhankhar quits, here are the likely frontrunners

The 14th Vice-President of India leaves office with two years left in his term.

After Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation, a high-stakes political process has been triggered to pick his successor.

His tenure, which was expected to last until 2027, ended abruptly following a day of unusual proceedings in Parliament.

Dhankhar had earlier served as the Governor of West Bengal before contesting and winning the Vice Presidential election as the NDA’s candidate in 2022.

Until a new Vice President is elected, Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh will preside over the Rajya Sabha as acting Chairperson, in line with constitutional provisions.

Under Article 68(2) of the Constitution, an election to fill a vacancy in the office of the Vice President due to resignation must be held “as soon as possible” after it becomes vacant. The person elected will serve a full five-year term from the date of assuming office.

The BJP-led NDA, which holds a majority in both Houses, is expected to select a candidate soon.

According  to a report by News18, from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, several names are being circulated on social media.

“Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to become the next Vice President of the country. In Bihar, the BJP will appoint its own Chief Minister for the elections. The JDU will have the Deputy Chief Minister. Nitish’s son Nishant may be appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister," political journalist Sameer Chougaonkar posted on X.

Some social media users are even guessing that while Nitish could be made VP, Dhankhar may be appointed as the National President of BJP.

BJP MLA from Bihar told News18 that Nitish as next VP is “everyone’s wish". BJP MLA Haribhushan Thakur Bachoul said, “What could be better than Nitish Kumar being made Vice President? Whether Nitish Kumar becomes the Vice President or not, everyone wants it."

According to the News18 report, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s name is also being circulated on social media. Singh’s name had also surfaced as the probable candidates for the VP’s post in 2022 when the election for the post was held.

Also, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s name is being circulated.  Tharoor’s proximity with the Narendra Modi government, especially after he was part of the government’s outreach programme on Operation Sindoor, recently widened his rift with the Congress.

The report by News18 also stated that there is a growing buzz over the name of BJP chief JP Nadda. Nadda is known to be close to PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. His term as the BJP President is ending with the party on the lookout to find his replacement.

The election for the next VP has to be held within the next 60 days.