NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: Veteran Sangh Parivar and BJP leader Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, presently Maharashtra Governor, emerged as the Centre-ruling National Democratic Alliance’s vice-presidential candidate on Sunday.
BJP president JP Nadda announced the 67-year-old Gounder leader’s name following a meeting of the party's parliamentary board, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and consulting the party's allies.
Appealing for his unanimous election, Nadda said when BJP leaders spoke to the opposition parties last week, they were told that the opposition’s decision would be made only after the ruling alliance finalised its nominee. The BJP would reach out to the opposition again, Nadda added.
"He is considered a statesman," Nadda said of the former Coimbatore MP who was made the Jharkhand Governor in 2023 and then shifted to Maharashtra in July 2024.
Due to the comfortable majority that the BJP and its allies have in the electoral college, comprising Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, the two-time Lok Sabha member’s election is all but certain, said sources, adding that the party hoped that his elevation would help its cause in making inroads in Tamil Nadu, where elections are due next year.
If elected, Radhakrishnan would be the first Tamil to become the Vice President after R Venkataraman, who was the Vice President from 1984-87.
Meanwhile, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami congratulated Radhakrishnan, stating that this was a crowning moment for his public service and dedicated social activities. Palaniswami also extended his wish to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP president JP Nadda for choosing Radhakrishnan as the alliance’s choice of candidate for the VP poll.