Former Union Minister and four-term Governor Margaret Alva is the opposition candidate for Vice President of India, veteran political leader Sharad Pawar announced after an opposition meeting this afternoon. The NDA has selected former Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as a candidate for the post.

Margaret Alva, 77, has served as governor of Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. She was a five-time MP and served as a Cabinet Minister in the Rajiv Gandhi-led government.

Vice President Venkaya Naidu’s term ended on August 10, and they won the election comfortably in 2017. Former BJP chairman Mr Naidu was then a cabinet minister in the central government.

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The Vice-Presidential election will be held on August 6, a few days after the presidential election.