Election of President is fight about ideologies, not of candidates: Ashok Gehlot

Jagdeep Dhankhar, West Bengal governor and the NDA candidate for the election of Vice President, is from Rajasthan

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said that the elections of President and Vice President are a fight of ideology and not about candidates.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot interacts with the media after casting his vote in Jaipur for the election of the President. (PTI Photo)

“This fight is not about any candidate, but of ideologies. The opposition parties made Yashwant Sinha the candidate for the presidential election. If the NDA government and the BJP wanted, they had the opportunity after five years to involve the opposition and come up with a unanimous candidate for a position such as the President,” he said.

Jagdeep Dhankhar, West Bengal governor and the NDA candidate for the election of Vice President, is from Rajasthan. Margaret Alva, former governor of Rajasthan, is the opposition candidate for the VP’s post.

Gehlot also said that having the chairman of both the houses of Parliament from Rajasthan is a pleasant coincidence. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla is also from Rajasthan.

“He has become a candidate from Rajasthan just like once Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was (the vice president). It is natural that if the candidate is welcomed in the state, it should be taken in that spirit,” the CM said after casting his vote for the presidential election.

If a candidate is from the state, then there may be sentiments among the people here, but the voting pattern will remain the same, which is on the basis of ideology, Gehlot added.