Will Jaswant Singh be NDA's Vice President nominee?

New Delhi: The NDA leaders will meet on Monday to finalise their candidate for the Vice President poll. On Saturday, the alliance declared that it would go in for a contest after the UPA decided to back Hamid Ansari for a second term.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it cannot let him have a walkover. No name has been finalised as yet but the party may field former External Affairs minister Jaswant Singh or former deputy chairperson of Rajya Sabha Najma Heptullah. Jaswant Singh has emerged as the front runner after senior BJP leader LK Advani backed him.

The BJP core group that had met on Saturday had also discussed the name of JDU Chief Sharad Yadav.

Jaswant Singh has emerged as the front runner after senior BJP leader LK Advani backed him.

But sources say the JDU may break ranks with the NDA like it did on the Presidential nominee issue. Sources say it is looking at Hamid Ansari's candidature favourably and may vote for him.

Reports say the CPM may also support UPA's nominee. A formal announcement is expected on Monday.

Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj party are also said to be in favour of allowing Hamid Ansari a second term.

However, there is no word yet on whether Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will support him, after her choice Gopal Gandhi opted out on Sunday.

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