Dhankhar meets outgoing VP Naidu, given tour of VP Secretariat

NEW DELHI: Jagdeep Dhankhar who is set to take oath as vice president this week met incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu here on Sunday.

Dhankhar and his wife Sudesh were welcomed at the Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas by Naidu and his spouse Usha Naidu.

The Vice President Secretariat and Dhankhar tweeted pictures of the meeting.

Naidu gifted his successor an 'ang vastram' (stole).

Sources said their meeting lasted over 30 minutes and later Naidu gave a tour of the residence and the secretariat to Dhankhar.

Naidu also introduced Dhankhar to the secretariat staff.

''The Vice President-elect, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, and his spouse, Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, met the Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, and his spouse, Smt Usha Naidu, at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas today,'' the Vice President Secretariat tweeted.

Naidu congratulated Dhankhar on his election as the 14th Vice President and conveyed his best wishes for a successful tenure, it added.

Naidu's term ends on August 10 and Dhankhar will take oath a day after.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance candidate Dhankhar won the vice-presidential election on Sunday with a huge vote share of 74.36 per cent, the highest in the last six vice presidential elections, bagging 528 votes against joint Opposition pick Margaret Alva's 182 votes.

Earlier in the day, the governors of Assam and Rajasthan and the chief minister of Tripura called on Dhankhar here.

Dhankhar tweeted about his meetings with Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Tripura CM Manik Saha.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra and the party's national secretary Sunil Deodhar also called on the vice president-elect. A statement from the vice President Secretariat said Naidu hosted a series of high tea receptions in the last week for the officials and staffers of the VP Secretariat, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the team of doctors and the Air Force crew who performed duties for the Vice President.

Naidu was given an emotional farewell by the members at these gatherings, who recalled their pleasant memories of working for the vice president, the statement said.

Earlier on Saturday, Naidu hosted a lunch for the officials of Rajya Sabha Secretariat in Parliament House Annexe. Interacting with him, the officials recalled the many initiatives taken by him as the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.

Last week, Naidu hosted a high tea for the staff at VP House, including officials, security personnel, cooks, drivers, gardeners and maintenance personnel. The Indian Air Force crew who regularly flew the vice president on his outstation visits the team of doctors who performed duties at the Vice President House were hosted at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas, along with their spouses.