Congress keen on Hamid Ansari as Vice President

New Delhi: The Congress is keen on Hamid Ansari remaining the Vice President, according to sources. The Congress Core Committee discussed Ansari's name for the post of the Vice President.

Sources say that the Congress has discussed Ansari's name with the Left Front, SP, BSP, JD(S) and JD(U) and has got their assurances. The party is confident of having the numbers in favour of Ansari.

Sources say the Congress is yet to speak to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, but since the UPA already has the numbers to back Ansari, the party is not too worried about Mamata's reaction.

Sources say the Congress has discussed Ansari\'s name with the Left Front, SP, BSP, JD(S) and JD(U) and has got their assurances.

Ansari's name was also doing the rounds for the post of the President before the Congress announced Pranab Mukherjee as its Presidential candidate.

Election to the post of Vice President will be held on August 7 and the results would be out on the same day. The term of the incumbent Ansari expires on August 10.

The Vice-President is elected by the members of the electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament. There are a total of 790 members of Parliament.

Unlike in the Presidential election, the nominated members of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha are also eligible participate in the election for the post of Vice President.

A nomination paper of a candidate has to be proposed by at least twenty electors and seconded by as many.

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