NEW DELHI: Janata Dal (united) president Nitish Kumar on Monday extended his party’s support to National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) vice-presidential candidate, CP Radhakrishnan. In a post on X, Nitish Kumar said, “The decision to nominate Shri CP Radhakrishnan ji, the governor of Maharashtra, as the NDA’s candidate for Vice President is welcomed. JDU will support Shri CP Radhakrishnan ji. Best wishes to him.” The announcement came a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party declared Radhakrishnan as the NDA nominee. BJP president JP Nadda, after a meeting of the party’s Parliamentary Board, said the alliance aimed for a unanimous election. “We want next Vice-President to be elected unanimously, we have reached out to opposition leaders,” he said. He described Radhakrishnan as a respected statesman from Tamil Nadu.Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the NDA pick, writing on X that Radhakrishnan’s “dedication, humility and intellect” would make him an inspiring Vice-President. “In his long years in public life, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has distinguished himself with his dedication, humility and intellect. During the various positions he has held, he has always focused on community service and empowering the marginalised. He has done extensive work at the grassroots in Tamil Nadu. I am glad that the NDA family has decided to nominate him as the Vice Presidential candidate of our alliance,” Modi said.He added, “Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has rich experience as MP and Governor of various states. His Parliamentary interventions were always incisive. During his gubernatorial tenures, he focused on addressing challenges faced by common citizens. These experiences ensured that he has vast knowledge of legislative and Constitutional matters. I am confident he will be an inspiring Vice President.”Radhakrishnan is currently serving as the Governor of Maharashtra. He previously held gubernatorial responsibilities in Jharkhand, Telangana, and Puducherry. A veteran BJP leader, he has represented Coimbatore twice in the Lok Sabha and served as Tamil Nadu BJP president.The vice-presidential election was necessitated after former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21 citing health reasons. The opposition has claimed the move was linked to differences with the government.The Election Commission has scheduled polling for September 9, with counting of votes on the same day. The last date for filing nominations is August 21, while withdrawals are permitted until August 25. With its majority in Parliament, the NDA is seen as well placed to ensure Radhakrishnan’s victory, though the INDIA bloc is considering fielding a candidate.
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