New Delhi: Jagdeep Dhankhar, former West Bengal governor and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, became the 14th Vice President of India by defeating the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Margaret Alva on Saturday, sources said. When the campaigning for the Vice-Presidential election started, it was clear that Dhankhar would win, because of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) clear majority in the Lok Sabha and in the Rajya Sabha. Dhankhar got 528 votes and Alva got 182 and 15 votes were declared invalid.
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Dhankar is a scholar par excellence. He studied at Sainik School in Chittorgarh and graduated in physics and LLB from the University of Rajasthan. He was one of the leading lawyers of Rajasthan and headed the High Court Bar Association. He also practised in the Supreme Court. In 1989, he joined politics. Dhankhar was elected from Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu the same year. He became the Parliamentary Affairs minister and worked under Chandra Shekhar who was then Prime Minister. He was the Governor of West Bengal.
