Naidu files nomination| Tomar, Irani given additional charges

New Delhi: With an aim to do justice with the office of Vice President, the NDA candidate Venkaiah naidu, on Tuesday, left the Bharatiya Janata party with a heavy heart.

Before filing his nomination as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the Vice Presidential elections, Venkaiah Naidu, on Tuesday, resigned from his post as the Union minister.

Stating that he has always considered the BJP as his mother, the NDA vice Presidential candidate said, "Lost my mother at a very young age,treated my party as my mother and they brought me up to this level."

Naidu, who filed nomination for Vice Presidential poll in presence of the Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, resigned from the Council of Ministers on Monday last. He said that he conveyed his resignation to the Prime Minister and sent a letter too last night.

Naidu has resigned from his ministerial responsibilities as the minister of urban development and Information and broadcasting in Indian government.

It is to be recalled that the ruling NDA had announced him as its candidate for vice-presidential elections in the country, on Monday last.

Also Read: NDA VP candidate Naidu gets support from Panneerselvam clan

The NDA candidate will file his nomination in New Delhi later in the day.

The additional charge of Ministry of Urban Development has been given to Narendra Singh Tomar who presently holds the charge of Ministry of Rural Development.

Meanwhile, Minister of Textiles, Smriti Irani has been given an additional charge of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Opposition candidate Gopal Krishna Gandhi also filed his nomination for the elections in teh presence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Here is what the NDA VP candidate said:

• Painful to leave the party, feeling emotional at this juncture.
• Had told my colleagues that I want to see PM Modi come back again in 2019 and then I will call it off and join social service.
• But destiny decided otherwise.Finally after discussion, I have agreed.
• I have withdrawn myself from party, do not belong to BJP now.
• India's strength and beauty lies in Parliamentary democratic system. It will be my endeavor to strengthen that further.
• Honored to be a candidate for Vice President of India.
• I have been actively engaged in public life for over four decades.
• On being elected I will uphold traditions, standards set by the worthy predecessors and maintain dignity of office.