Opposition leaders meet to chalk out strategy, Margaret Alva says not afraid of challenge

New Delhi: Leaders of opposition parties on Monday met at the residence of NCP chief Sharad Pawar to chalk out the joint strategy for their vice presidential candidate Margaret Alva.

Alva, who is pitted against NDA's Jagdeep Dhankar, was also present at the meeting.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Alva said, "I was invited to meet all the leaders who are supporting me for the vice president's election. So we have met, I thank all of them for the trust they have reposed in me." In a tweet, Alva said she would file her nomination for the post of Vice President of India on Tuesday.

"It's a tough election without a doubt, but I'm not afraid to take on the challenge! I sincerely thank the leaders of all the opposition parties who have supported my candidature," she added.

"I know it is a difficult battle but in politics, winning and losing is not the issue, the issue is fighting the battle," Alva said.

Leaders of 17 parties unanimously decided to pick former Rajasthan governor and Congress veteran Alva as their nominee for the post of Vice President.

A number of opposition leaders will accompany her when she files her nomination.

"A meeting of leaders of the United Opposition Parties was held at my New Delhi residence this evening to discuss the upcoming Vice Presidential elections to be held in August 2022," Pawar said on Twitter after the meeting.

Among others present at Pawar's residence were Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Jairam Ramesh, CPI-M leaders Sitaram Yechury and Elamaram Kareem, CPI leaders D Raja and Binoy Viswam, NCP's Supriya Sule and Praful Patel, MDMK's Vaiko, DMK's Kanimozhi, SP's Ram Gopal Yadav and N K Premchandran.

The vice presidential election will be held on August 6 to elect the successor to M Venkaiah Naidu, whose term ends on August 10.