Margaret Alva files nomination for vice presidential election

New Delhi, July 19: Opposition's vice presidential candidate Margaret Alva on Tuesday filed her nomination papers at Parliament.

She filed her nomination in the presence of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other Opposition leaders

Alva (80) was unanimously chosen by leaders of 17 opposition parties to be the joint opposition candidate for the country's second top constitutional post. The former Rajasthan governor is pitted against NDA candidate and West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar.

"It is a privilege and an honour to be nominated as the candidate of the joint opposition for the post of Vice President of India. I accept this nomination with great humility and thank the leaders of the opposition for the faith they've put in me. Jai Hind," Alva tweeted soon after the opposition parties announced her name.

The leaders of various opposition parties had met at the residence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to decide on the common candidate for the vice president's election. The last date for filing nominations is July 19.

Jagdeep Dhankhar, who filed his nomination in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, said that he is grateful to the PM and his able leadership for this opportunity. "Not even in my dreams did I think that a common man like me would be given such an opportunity. A farmer's son has filed his nomination today...Grateful to PM Modi and the leadership for this opportunity," said Dhankhar after filing his nomination.

The term of Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, who won the election comfortably in 2017, ends on August 10.