Hamid Ansari UPA's VP nominee; files nomination

New Delhi, July 23: UPA-Left candidate Hamid Ansari today filed his nomination papers for the 13th Vice-Presidential elections.

His papers were proposed by a host of leaders like UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Union Chemical and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, CPI(M) leaders A R Antulay, Mr Mohammed Salim, Mr Sitaram Yehchury and Mr T R Balu of the DMK.

Mr Ansari filed three sets of papers. He filed his papers at 1103 hrs, which was the auspicious time chosen for the occasion,, before Returning Officer Dr Yogendra Narain.

Today is the last date for filing nomination papers.

The election will be held on August 10.

When Dr Ansari was asked if elected how he will run the Rajya Sabha when he does not have any experience of it, he replied that to run any organisation there are some set norms, rules and guidelines. So far as the House of Elders is concerned it has very high standards of guidelines. ''I don't think that there will be any problem in running the affairs of the House,'' he said.

Mr Yechuri said, ''We are fully confident of winning the elections as the numbers are very much in our favour.'' He said the total effective strength of both the Houses of Parliament is 788 and the UPA-Left's own strength is 406. This is 54 per cent of the effective strength, he added.

''We are quite confident that the BSP, NC and some other parties will also support our candidate,'' said Mr Yechury.

UNI