M Venkaiah Naidu is NDA's vice presidential nominee - Facts about him

BJP's M Venkaiah Naidu is pitted against Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was chosen by an alliance of 18 Opposition parties, including the Congress.

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday named Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu as National Democratic Alliance's vice presidential nominee.

The BJP Parliamentary Board announced 68-year-old Naidu's candidature after holding a meeting, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao's name was also considered for the August 05 contest.

The 68-year-old currently holds the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Housing and Urban Affairs.

The former BJP president is pitted against Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was chosen by an alliance of 18 Opposition parties, including the Congress.

The term of Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is also ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, ends on August 10.

The last date for filing nomination papers for the Vice Presidential Election is Tuesday.

Here are some facts about M Venkaiah Naidu:

- Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is a veteran BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh.

- Naidu has served as National President, BJP (July 2002-December 2003), Union Minister of Rural Development (30 September 2000 - 30 June 2002), and Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs (incumbent).

- Born on July 1, 1949, Naidu joined politics in his college days only. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in law with a specialisation in international law from Andhra University College of Law, Visakhapatnam.

- Naidu joined Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) during his college days. He became president, Students’ Union, VR College, Nellore in 1971.

- During his earlier days in politics, Naidu championed the cause of farmers and development of backward areas. A good orator, Naidu eventually became one of the most popular BJP leaders in Andhra Pradesh.

- He became a member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1978-83 and 1983-85.

A look at the positions held by Naidu:

1971: President, Students’ Union, V.R. College, Nellore

1973-74: President, Students Union, Andhra University Colleges

1974: Convener, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Kshatra Sangharsh Samiti of Andhra Pradesh

1977-80: President, Youth Wing of Janata Party, Andhra Pradesh

1978-83 & 1983-85: Member, Legislative Assembly, Andhra Pradesh

1980-83: Vice-President, Youth Wing of All India B.J.P.

1980-85: Leader, B.J.P. Legislature Party in Andhra Pradesh

1985-88: General Secretary, Andhra Pradesh State B.J.P.

1988-93: President, Andhra Pradesh State Unit of B.J.P.

1993 –2000: General Secretary, All India B.J.P.

1996 – 2000 : Secretary (i) BJP Parliamentary Board, & (ii) BJP Central Election Committee, and (iii) Spokesperson, BJP

April 1998: Elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka (1st term)

1998 – 99: Member, Committee on Home Affairs and Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Agriculture

1998 – 2001 & 2005 - 2013 : Member, Tobacco Board

1999 - 2000: Member, Committee on Finance

Jan 2000: Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Rural Development

2000 (Sept) –2002 (June): Minister of Rural Development, Government of India

2002 (July) – 2004 (Oct): National President, B.J.P.

2004 (Jan) – 2004 (Feb): Member, Committee on External Affairs

June 2004: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka (2nd term)

2004 - 06: Member, Standing Committee on Finance

2005: Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

2006 – 2008: Chairman, Committee on Petitions (Rajya Sabha)

2006 onwards Member, (i) BJP Parliamentary Board, and (ii) BJP Central Election Committee

2008 – 2014: Chairman, Committee on Home Affairs (Rajya Sabha)

June 2010: Re-elected to Rajya Sabha in June 2010 from Karnataka (3rd term)

2011 (Dec) – 2014 (May): Parliamentary Forum on Disaster Management

26 May 2014 onwards: Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs.

June 2016 – Re-elected to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan (4th term)

6th July 2016 onwards: Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, and Information and Broadcasting.