US-Iran war CJP protest in Delhi US-Saudi nuclear deal Commonwealth Games 2026 Wildfires in Europe

M Venkaiah Naidu says he is not interested in contesting vice-presidential election

Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said he was not interested in any ceremonial position that would keep him away from the people and would not contest the vice-presidential poll even if someone compelled him.

|Jun 27, 2017, 18:59:31 IST

New Delhi: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said he was not interested in any ceremonial position that would keep him away from the people and would not contest the vice-presidential poll even if someone compelled him.[caption id="attachment_3737663" align="alignleft" width="380"]

File image of M Venkaiah Naidu. Agencies

File image of M Venkaiah Naidu. PTI[/caption]Happiness for him was meeting people and serving them, the Union urban development minister told reporters here.He stated categorically that there was no chance of him contesting the vice-presidential election."Never am I going to participate in vice-president elections even if anyone compels me," Naidu said."Happiness for me is to meet people, be among them and serve them. I cannot stay away from people by taking up any ceremonial position," the minister added.He had declared recently he would neither want to become the rashtrapati (president) nor uparashtrapati (vice president) but was happy being Usha's pati (his spouse)."I wish to speak without any barriers and say what I feel, travel to different places, meet people and eat their food," he added.Vice-President M Hamid Ansari's term ends on 10 August.

China has dominated Myanmar’s rare earth mines — now India eyes deal to harness country’s critical minerals

India is deepening rare earth cooperation with Myanmar as New Delhi seeks alternative sources of critical minerals dominated by China, including dysprosium and terbium used in EVs, defence systems and clean energy technologies

6 min read

CJP protest in Delhi: New videos of stone pelting, violence emerge as police, agitators trade charges

Fresh videos of violence that broke out during the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest in Delhi have surfaced, with the police releasing footage showing alleged stone pelting, vandalism and attacks on security personnel

3 min read

'From make in India to launch from India': Skyroot COO on why Vikram-1 could change India’s space sector

Skyroot Aerospace’s successful Vikram-1 mission marks a major milestone for India’s private space sector, as the country seeks to shift from “Make in India” to “Launch from India” and compete in the global commercial satellite launch market

8 min read

Choke terror funding, keep international shipping lanes safe: Jaishankar at Asean Regional Forum

Jaishankar's remarks came against the backdrop of recent terror attacks targeting India and growing threats to commercial shipping amid conflicts in West Asia and Europe

2 min read

PM Modi announces fast-track courts for paper leak cases; CJP responds ‘Dharmendra Pradhan must go’

Amid protests demanding accountability for the leak of medical entrance test Neet and other irregularities in the education system, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the government has decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks.