Opposition picks Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its nominee for upcoming vice-presidential elections: Reports

The Opposition has chosen Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its nominee for the upcoming vice-presidential election, sources told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_3799791” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Gopalkrishna Gandhi. AFP[/caption] Born on 22 April, 1945 to MK Gandhi’s son Devdas Gandhi and C Rajagopalachari’s daughter Lakshmi, Gopalkrishna served as an IAS officer from 1968 to 1992, when he voluntarily retired, according to The Indian Express. He was the secretary to the vice-president from 1985 to 1987, joint secretary to president from 1987 to 1992 and secretary to president in 1997. He also served as the governor of West Bengal from 2004 to 2009. Eighteen Opposition parties on Tuesday met to discuss the upcoming vice-presidential election, with Sharad Yadav of the JD(U) which had broken ranks with them over the presidential poll, also in attendance. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, TMC’s Derek O’Brien, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, SP’s Naresh Agarwal, NC’s Omar Abdullah, JD(S)’ Deve Gowda, BSP’s Satish Chandra Mishra and RLD’s Ajit Singh were among those who attended the meeting. Others who participated in the meet include Jai Prakash Yadav of the RJD, Hemant Soren of the JMM, D Raja of the CPI and representatives of the CMK, the NCP and the Kerala Congress. Polling for the vice-president’s post will take place on 5 August if required. The votes will be counted the same evening. The Opposition floor management for the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which starts on 17 July, was also on agenda. The session is likely to see Opposition protests on the raids on RJD chief Lalu Prasad. The leaders also observed a two-minute silence at the start of the meeting to condole the deaths of seven Amarnath pilgrims in a terror attack in Kashmir on Monday. With inputs from PTI