Venkaiah Naidu first common man to become Vice President: PM Modi

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran and Union minister Venkaiah Naidu took oath as the 13th Vice President of India.

Lauding Naidu in the Rajya Sabha, Modi said: "For the first time in the political history of the country, all constitutional posts are assumed by common people who are not coming from big dynasties. This represents the matured democracy of India."

Modi probably meant President Ram Nath Kovind and himself apart from Naidu since all three have ordinary backgrounds.

The Prime Minister even said Naidu is known to all the members of the Parliament as he worked in the Rajya Sabha for years.

"Naidu fought as a student leader in Andhra Pradesh for good governance" Modi said.

Naidu, who was the Urban Development Minister in Modi government, was fielded as the BJP-led NDA's candidate for the VP election. Eventually, he won against Opposition's candidate and former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

Congress leader Ghulam Navi Azad too congratulated the former BJP veteran.

Praising his former opponent from the Rajya Sabha, Azad said: "Naidu is one of those people who came from grass roots and today reached a top position."

Naidu succeeded Hamid Ansari who held the portfolio for two terms.

Apart from being a Rajya Sabha member and Union minister, the Vice President was also the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President between 2002 and 2004.

Image: Official Twitter handle of Narendra Modi.