The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday named Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) candidate for the Vice President's
post. The vice-presidential election is necessitated following the the resignation of incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar last month. Announcing the nomination, BJP president JP Nadda said a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided Radhakrishnan's name after an extensive deliberation. Also Read: Who Is CP Radhakrishnan—NDA's Pick Who Could Be The Next Vice President of India? He added that Radhakrishnan is widely regarded as a statesman and commands respect across all sections of society in Tamil Nadu. Nadda also said the NDA has reached out to opposition leaders in hopes of ensuring his election is unanimous. Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also confirmed the announcement. A long-time member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Radhakrishnan is seen as a leader rooted in the BJP's core ideology. His nomination is viewed as a strategic move to expand the BJP's reach in southern states, especially Tamil Nadu, ahead of key elections. Over his four-decade political career, he has served as governor of Maharashtra and Jharkhand, two-time Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore, former president of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit, and party in-charge for Kerala. The election for the Vice President’s post is scheduled to be held later this month. As per the schedule set by the Election Commission of India, the last date for nominations is August 21, scrutiny will take place on August 22, and withdrawals are allowed until August 25. Voting, if required, will be held on September 9.
