NDA’s vice presidential pick: Here are 10 things you must know about Venkaiah Naidu

– Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu was born on July 1, 1949 at Chavatapalem, in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district

– He acquired a bachelor’s degree in law with a specialisation in international law from Andhra University College of Law.

– Naidu came into spotlight for his prominent role in the Jai Andhra Movement of 1972. While Kakani Venkata Ratnam led the movement from Vijayawada, Naidu took active part in the agitation in Nellore, until it was called off a year later.

– His oratory skills and political activism propelled his political career and he was elected as an MLA to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly twice from Udayagiri constituency in Nellore district in 1978 and 1983.

– After having served in various organisational posts of the BJP at the state and national level, he was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka in 1998.

– Served as the party spokesperson from 1996 to 2000, bringing to the job his panache for quirky alliterations and similes.

– After the NDA victory in the 1999 general elections, he became the Union Cabinet Minister for Rural development in the government headed by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee

– He succeeded Jana Krishnamurthy as the National President of …read more