Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'M. Venkaiah Naidu is right for the post of VP' that was published in Newsband

M. Venkaiah Naidu is right for the post of VP

As Vice-President, M. Venkaiah Naidu with his amiable personality has won him friends cutting across party divides. His election was no surprise given the numbers in Parliament. His tact and temperament are the qualities that will stand him in good stead in his primary job as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He can be expected to take on the ceremonial and diplomatic duties of the Vice-President.  

He is the most prominent face of the BJP in the south. Naidu was in many ways the symbol of the party’s foray into the south. He developed a good equation with K. Chandrasekhar Rao in Telangana, N. Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh and Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu.

Naidu could well be the BJP’s choice for the next President. The Shah-Modi team is known for making long-term plans. But Naidu as President in 2022 is a very far-fetched idea as he didn't personally welcomed the idea of becoming even Vice-president. Without him in party post BJP'S efforts to foray into South will be watched closely as Naidu has so many contacts in Southern states which cannot be directly applied given his new role where he is expected to be neutral.

As Vice President is a speaker of Rajya Sabha, it necessarily demands a well experienced person who has been a member of parliament. His performance as a VP and chairman of Rajya Sabha will be a reflection on BJP's image in being fair to the opposition which is vital in a democracy. Naidu has been chosen for this post as the leadership believes he would fit in the shoe perfectly.

It is true that Naidu is the acknowledged face of the BJP from the south. But he wears a national mantle and should maintain a national mindset in all his decision-making on issues that come before him.

Some say that it would have been much better if Naidu had continued as a Minister as his ability to deal with Opposition parties in organizing multiparty meetings and as an orator would have been more valuable. But now that he is made the VP, Naidu can perhaps bring in a much needed discipline in the Rajya Sabha where the Opposition is utilising its numerical majority for negative action rather than positive contributions. Ansari has failed to discipline the noisy members and adjournments have been the order of the day. It is necessary to penalize the members who indulge in despicable entry into the Well of the house shouting noisy slogans, thus wasting public money.