Krishna Kant, Barnala file nominations for vice-presidential poll

Former Tamil Nadu governor Surjeet Singh Barnala on Tuesday filed his nomination paper for the vice-presidential election which will be held on August 16.

Barnala was accompanied by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bahujan Samaj Party president Kanshi Ram, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Samata Party leader Nitish Kumar and others.

Union Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy, All India Forward Bloc general secretary Chitta Basu, Communist Party of India leader Somnath Chatterjee were among those who filed the nomination papers for Andhra Pradesh Governor Krishna Kant. The sponsors and seconders included Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral and his Cabinet colleagues.

Barnala's nomination was seconded and proposed by 40 members of the electoral college comprising members of both Houses of Parliament.

Tuesday was the last date for filing nomination papers. Scrutiny will be taken up on Wednesday and the last date for withdrawal is August 1.

Gujral and Congress president Sitaram Kesri also filed nomination papers on Krishna Kant's behalf.

UNI