Crucial NDA meet on vice presidential poll today

With the stage all set for a direct contest between Mohammad Hamid Ansari and Jaswant Singh, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance will meet at Bharatiya Janata Party  veteran Lal Krishna Advani's residence in New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the vice presidential election.

Despite the numbers not being in favour of NDA's candidate Jaswant Singh, the BJP had earlier last week expressed confidence that its nominee would win the vice presidential election.

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain earlier on Friday said the 2012 vice presidential election would be quite interesting.

"Our leader Jaswant Singh will today file his nomination papers. The vice presidential election will be quite interesting," said Hussain.

"Only time will tell (about it)," he added, when asked that the numbers were not in their favour.

Jaswant Singh, who filed his nomination papers for the vice presidential election on April 20, has the committed support of the BJP, Janata Dal-United, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and several other smaller parties.

UPA's vice presidential candidate Hamid Ansari, however, has a definite edge in the August 7 vice presidential election, as he has the support of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam, Nationalist Congress Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Communist Party of India-Marxist, National Conference and several others.

The Trinamool Congress, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Biju Janata Dal have not disclosed their cards for the vice presidential poll yet.

The vice-president is elected through a direct ballot with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members (including nominated) comprising the electoral college.

A total of 790 MPs are eligible to cast their vote on August 7 to elect the 14th vice president.