NDA seeks Opposition support to build consensus on VP nominee CP Radhakrishnan

New Delhi: The BJP-led NDA's vice-presidential nominee CP Radhakrishnan arrived in the national capital on Monday and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders of the ruling alliance.

After the meeting, Modi posted on X, "Met Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji. Conveyed my best wishes on his being NDA's vice-presidential nominee. His long years of public service and experience across domains will greatly enrich our nation. May he continue to serve the nation with the same dedication and resolve he has always demonstrated."

Although Radhakrishnan's victory is certain due to NDA's numerical strength, the ruling alliance managers have reached out to the Opposition parties to build consensus on his candidature.


Senior BJP leader and Union defense minister Rajnath Singh spoke to DMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin. Sources said the interaction between the two leaders was cordial. Singh has been entrusted by the BJP leadership to coordinate with key Opposition figures.

Earlier in the day, Union ministers, including BJP's Bhupender Yadav, Pralhad Joshi and Kiren Rijiju and TDP's K Ram Mohan Naidu received Radhakrishnan here. Later, the vice-presidential candidate attended a meeting of NDA leaders at Union Minister Prahlad Joshi's residence where he was felicitated.

After the meeting, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said Radhakrishnan will file his nomination on August 20, with chief ministers and deputy CMs of several states ruled by BJP and its allies expected to be part of the exercise besides Modi and many of his Cabinet colleagues.

NDA received a boost after former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party, one of the few parties not aligned to either of the two rival blocs, backed Radhakrishnan's candidature. The regional party has 11 MPs in Parliament, whose members make up the electoral college for the VP election. Rajnath Singh had spoken to Reddy, sources said.

BJP is also eyeing support from two other unaligned regional parties, Odisha's BJD and Telangana's BRS, and some Independents. A source said they are hopeful of getting support from over 440 MPs in an electoral college of 781 members.