New Delhi: Famous for his witty one-liners and affable nature, former BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu, 68, elected as the next Vice-President, will take oath on August 11.
Coming from a humble background, Mr Naidu’s association with the BJP goes back to its former avatar, Jana Sangh. In those days Mr Naidu used to put up posters of leaders like Atal Behari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani. As an ABVP activist during the Emergency, Mr Naidu was arrested and jailed.
A prominent political figure in national politics from the south, Mr Naidu is among a few Indian politicians who has friendships cutting across party lines. Perhaps this virtue of his was a consideration when the BJP decided to name him as its V-P candidate. Known for his oratory skills, Mr Naidu had vigorously backed Narendra Modi for the Prime Minister’s post before the 2014 elections, describing the latter as “God’s gift to India” and a “Messiah of the poor”.
Born in an agricultural family in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore, Mr Naidu has served as BJP president, Central minister in-charge of various portfolios and he has been a long-time Rajya Sabha member.
