Assam CM says ‘have no role in VP polls’ after Oppn’s Margaret Alva seeks support

Guwahati: After Opposition’s Vice-Presidential candidate Margaret Alva informed that she spoke to a few Chief Ministers like Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai, the Assam CM on Sunday confirmed having a conversation with the former and asserted that he has no role to play in Vice Presidential polls as he is not a member of the electoral college.

“Smt. @alva_margaret spoke to me this morning. I politely told her that I’m not a member of the electoral college. As such I have no role in the election of Vice President of India,” tweeted Sarma on Saturday.

This development comes days after Trinamool Congress (TMC) decided to abstain from voting in Vice-Presidential elections.

Vice Presidential candidate Margaret Alva on Sunday said that she will ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Jagat Prakash Nadda to vote for her.

“I have started talking to the Chief Ministers of all the states who are supporting me but I will also talk to the chief minister who is not in my support. For example, I will talk to Karnataka CM, Assam CM and even UP Chief Minister Yogi,” Alva told ANI.

“Adityanath because we have an old relationship with him when he was MP and Adityanath is my good friend,” he added.

She further stated that she will also talk to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“The basis for seeking votes from everyone is that I am a woman and for the first time in front of the country, there is a woman Vice Presidential candidate, so everyone should support me,” she added.

On being asked whether she will write a letter to the Prime Minister and BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda for votes? she said, “why not? the Prime Minister is also an MP.”

Alva, while referring to her contribution to the political and social field, said that she has done a lot of work and is quite popular among people. “Today I inaugurated the Campaign Office and I have started communicating with everyone,” she stated.

NDA’s candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar will face Opposition candidate and veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Margaret Alva in the August 6 Vice Presidential election.

Alva the Opposition candidate for the Vice-Presidential poll, filed her nomination for the Vice Presidential election on Tuesday.

Opposition parties on July 17 decided to field former Rajasthan Governor and former Union minister Alva as their joint candidate for the vice presidential election.

The decision to field Alva was taken at a meeting of opposition leaders of 17 parties at the residence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.

The NDA has fielded West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar as its joint candidate for the post of Vice President. (ANI)