New Delhi: Joint opposition candidate for the Vice-Presidential election Margaret Alva on Tuesday filed her nomination papers for the post and was accompanied by a host of leaders from various parties.
Soon after she filed her nomination papers, Alva said elections do not frighten her and winning and losing is a part of life but the trust of members of both houses of Parliament will help her bring people together, find common solutions and help build a strong and united India.
The Vice-Presidential poll will be held on August 6 to elect the successor to M Venkaiah Naidu, whose term ends on August 10.
Alva, 80, is pitted against NDA's Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned as West Bengal Governor after being nominated on Saturday evening.
Several opposition leaders, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, NCP's Sharad Pawar, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, were present during her nomination filing.
Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja and MDMK's Vaiko were also present during the nomination filing.
Tuesday is the last date for submission of nominations for the Vice-Presidential election.
"I have spent my life fulfilling my commitments, with integrity and courage. Elections don't frighten me — winning and losing is a part of life.
"However, it is my belief that the goodwill, trust, and affection of members across party lines in both houses of Parliament, that I've earned, will see me through, and continue to guide me as one who works to bring people together, to find common solutions and helps build a strong and united India," the Congress veteran said in a statement. Alva said the coming together of the opposition "to support my candidature for the post of Vice-President of India, is a metaphor of the reality that is India".