Najma Heptullah files nomination for VP polls

New Delhi, July 23: Former Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptullah today filed her nomination papers as NDA candidate for the August 10 Vice Presidential Election.

Sixty seven-year-old Dr Heptullah filed one set of nomination papers, signed by 60 MPs including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani and NDA convener George Fernandes, at 1230 hours in Parliament House before Returning Officer Yogendra Narain.

She will file another set of papers at 1400 hours. Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said the second set of nomination papers would be signed by 28 MPs as proposers and 26 as seconders.

Emerging after filing the nominations, a smiling Najma said ''It is an election and I will fight in that very spirit.'' She said the electorate comprises about 800 voters and she would seek support of each and everyone.

Dr Heptullah added she would personally write to them and also contact Mr Rashid Masood, who is UNPA nominee for the Vice Presidential election, for his support.

"As a candidate I think I am best having an experience of 27 years for running the Rajya Sabha and 17 years' experience for chairing various international organisations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).'' Asked why the NDA had put up a candidate for Vice Presidential poll, despite knowing that the numbers were not in their favour and particularly after seeing the outcome of the Presidential election, Mr Vajpayee asserted in a parliamentary democracy there was more than numbers. ''Hum bhi apna astitva dikhana chahte hain,'' (We also want to demonstrate our existence), he added.

When asked if he did not think that for such posts there should be a consensus among the political parties, he said NDA was also in favour of consensus on such elections. ''But the UPA first takes its decision and then approaches for a consensus.'' The NDA members including BJP President Rajnath Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, Mr Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, Mr S S Ahluwalia, Mr Digvijay Singh (JD-U), Mr S S Dhindsa (SAD), Mr Sharad Joshi and Mr Ramchandra Panda (BJD) were also present when Ms Heptullah filed her nomination.

UNI