Former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi today filed his nomination for the vice-presidential poll in the presence of senior Congress and other opposition leaders, including from the JD(U). Gandhi has been picked by 18 opposition parties to be their nominee for the post of vice president.


Speaking to the media after he filed his nomination papers, Gandhi, said, "I am an ordinary citizen, and I am not associated with any party. My views are my own. Janta aur rajneeti ke beech ek khaai bani huyi hai, main use kam karna chahta hoon. I want to work in the chasm between politics and people.

"I am not here to oppose any person or party, I'm here with all humility to place before electors, the aspirations of citizens.

"We are living in divisive times. This spells danger for our future, not only for politics but for the nation.

"I believe death penalty belongs to the medieval ages, it's wrong. My views inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Ambedkar. (Referring to his opposition to the death sentence on 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon)."

The Congress was represented by senior leaders such as president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh as well as Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge as the former West Bengal governor filed his papers in the parliament complex.


Also present were other opposition leaders, including JD (U)'s Sharad Yadav, CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja, NCP's Tariq Anwar and Praful Patel, NC's Farooq Abdullah and DMK's Kanimozhi. The vice presidential is scheduled to be held on August 5. Gandhi will contest against the NDA's candidate Venkaiah Naidu.