Who is Jagdeep Dhankhar, NDA’s Vice Presidential candidate?

Nadda, during the announcement, described Dhankhar as a “kisan putra” (farmer’s son) who established himself as a “people’s governor”.

Dhankhar has often been in the limelight for his frequent run-ins with the Mamata Banerjee-led government since assuming charge as the West Bengal Governor in July 2019.

He forayed into politics in 1989 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan. He became a Union Minister in 1990.

A lawyer by profession, Dhankhar practiced in the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court, and was designated a senior advocate in 1990. Before becoming a lawyer, Dhankhar graduated with honours in physics from Maharaja’s College in Jaipur and an LLB degree from Jaipur University in 1978-79.

Dhankar was also a member of the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha from 1993 to 1998, representing the Kishangarh constituency.

The West Bengal government under Mamata Banerjee has often accused him of acting as an “agent of the BJP”, while the BJP in the state saw him as an “upholder of constitutional norms”.

Meanwhile, Dhankhar has claimed that he has gone by the rule book and the Constitution in pointing out issues in the Mamata Banerjee government and the West Bengal legislature under her rule.

Acrimony between Dhankhar and the ruling TMC have often led to chaotic situations with both levelling accusations at each other over issues ranging from post-poll violence in the state to delays in assent to bills passed in the House besides interference in the functioning of the civilian bureaucracy and state run universities.

(With inputs from PTI)