Updated July 17 : Opp fields Margaret Alva against Jagdeep Dhankhar for Vice President

Opposition parties decided to field former Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva as their joint candidate for the Vice presidential election. Alva (80) would file her nomination papers on July 19.

Ms ALva: Once she famously questioned ill treatment meted to Narasimha Rao

The BJP and NDA fielded West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar. 

Dhankhar tweeted, "Thank you Narendra Modi ji for nominating me as the Vice President candidate for the vice presidential election."

It's a master stroke more in political sense ! Trinamool will not be happy definitely and all Didi.....(read aapa's) MPs in Rajya Sabha will face emotional challenge !!

BJP chief JP Nadda announced today. "After all considerations and consultations, we have decided to announce kisan putra (farmer's son) Jagdeep Dhankhar as the BJP and NDA's candidate for Vice President," he said at a press conference, adding that he established himself as a "people's Governor".   

“Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has excellent knowledge of our Constitution. He is also well-versed with legislative affairs. I am sure that he will be an outstanding Chair in the Rajya Sabha & guide the proceedings of the House with the aim of furthering national progress,” Modi further wrote.  

• जुलाई 2019 में उन्होंने पश्चिम बंगाल के राज्यपाल का पदभार ग्रहण किया। उनकी छवि लोगों के दिल पर राज करने वाले राज्यपाल के रूप में रही है। उन्होंने सार्वजनिक जीवन में लम्बे समय तक लोगों की सेवा की है।  - BJP 

Mr Dhankhar has been associated with the BJP for the last two decades and many political observers suggest he has been "rewarded" for clashing with Ms Banerjee in favour of the BJP. 

The decision was taken at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) parliamentary board meeting at its Delhi headquarters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with several top leaders like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present at the meeting.

Sources say Mr Dhankhar's nomination will send a big message to the Jat community, to which he belongs. The Jat community in Western Uttar Pradesh had supported the BJP even after massive farmers' protests against the now-repealed farm laws. 

Jat voters will also play a big role in next year's Rajasthan elections. 

Dhankhar has accused the Mamata government of "extreme appeasement, communalised patronage, and mafia syndicate extortion". 

The Bengal Governor had earlier this month urged the Bengali intelligentsia to "break their silence" on what he described as the "decimation of democratic values" in the state.