Several Opposition leaders reacted to Radhakrishnan’s nomination, and said they would also hold a meeting soon and decide on their pick. Several opposition leaders are likely to meet this evening to discuss the upcoming Vice President elections, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday. The development comes a day after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) named CP Radhakrishnan, the governor of Maharashtra, as the party’s pick for the key post.
Several Opposition leaders reacted to Radhakrishnan’s candidature, and said they would also hold a meeting soon and decide on their pick. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said, “The INDIA alliance leaders have had a few discussions on this matter and I am expecting that there would be consensus and we would hear the decision made public very soon.”
The decision to name CP Radhakrishnan as the NDA’s candidate was taken after “extensive discussions with the NDA partners”, BJP President JP Nadda said on Sunday. “The opposition leaders conveyed to us that their decision to support the nominee will depend on the candidate…we are hopeful that the VP will be elected by consensus,” Nadda had said.
The 68-year-old leader began his public life as an RSS worker and has previously served as the governor of Jharkhand, had additional charge of Telangana and served as the lieutenant governor of Puducherry. The Opposition had mixed reactions to Radhikrishnan’s candidature. While some welcomed the move, others criticised his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
“CP Radhakrishnan has an RSS background and proudly wears that badge. He has been an MP and the BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief, and is now the Governor of Maharashtra, but his RSS connection cannot be ignored,” said Congress MP Manickam Tagore. Samajwadi Party MP Virendra Singh also cited the NDA pick’s RSS ties, and said the decision to name him as a VP candidate “has not taken by the NDA but by RSS… The constituent parties of the NDA must understand what is their importance in a BJP-led government.”
Meanwhile, Uddhav Sena leader Sanjay Raut called Radhakrishnan “a very balanced personality”, adding that if the Governor of Maharashtra became VP, his party would be happy.
“If the Governor of Maharashtra becomes the Vice President, we will be happy, but an election will take place. The INDIA alliance will make a decision, I cannot say what that decision will be… but today we will discuss it and decide. There is a more serious issue in the country than the Vice Presidency, the issue of vote theft, and we do not want to divert attention from it…” Raut said. He was announced as the VP candidate days after the post fell vacant following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation citing health concerns. Elections for the post are scheduled for September 9.
