New Delhi, Jul 17 (UNI) M Venkaiah Naidu, who was today chosen as the NDA's nominee to run for the post of the Vice-President, is a person whose oratorical skills and political activism had a big role in propelling his political career from an RSS swayamsewak to being the troubleshooter of the BJP-led NDA government. In this sense, senior BJP leader and Union Urban Development and Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu seems to be the perfect choice by the NDA for the post of Vice-President. From the beginning of his political career, Naidu, both as a student leader and political figure, gained prominence as a brilliant orator, who vigorously championed the cause of the farmers and the development of backward areas. As the Information and Broadcasting Minister in the NDA government, Mr Naidu has been known for his vociferous advocacy and defence of the government policies and initiatives. Over the years, Mr Naidu has remained in the forefront of the BJP, who also headed the party twice, and was also one of its senior vice-presidents and an important campaigner. He raised Special Status to Andhra Pradesh issue in Rajya Sabha (as opposition member in February 2014) and demanded special category state status to AP. Born on July 1, 1949 at Chavatapalem, in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, Mr Naidu has risen from being a Swayamsewak of the RSS to becoming one of the senior most ministers in the Modi government. Elected as an MLA to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly twice from Udayagiri constituency in Nellore district in 1978 and 1983, he rose to become one of the most popular leaders of the BJP in Andhra Pradesh. 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. He has since been re-elected twice in 2004 and 2010 from Karnataka. He served as the party spokesperson from 1996 to 2000, bringing to the job his panache for quirky alliterations and similes. Unlike most politicians from southern India, Naidu made an effort to master Hindi, going on to address public rallies in northern India. After the NDA victory in the 1999 general elections, he became the Union Cabinet Minister for Rural development in the government, headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was known for aggressively pushing for reforms in rural development and for the many schemes introduced during this period such as the 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.' He succeeded Jana Krishnamurthy as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2002. On January 28, 2004, he was elected unopposed for a full 3-year term as the BJP chief. After the defeat of the BJP led NDA in the 2004 general elections, he resigned from his post on October 18, 2004 and was succeeded by L K Advani. After the massive victory of the BJP in the 2014 general elections, he was sworn in as the Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs on May 26, 2014. His easy manners and amiable nature has helped him garner well wishers and friends cutting across party affiliations. UNI AR AD