In a significant development, C.P. Radhakrishnan, the current Governor of Maharashtra and former Governor of Jharkhand, has filed his nomination as the candidate for the post of Vice President of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju and Arjun Ram Meghwal were also present at the occasion.
Radhakrishnan filed his nomination in the presence of about 20 proposers and 20 supporters.
Earlier today, Radhakrishnan paid floral tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament premises.
Radhakrishnan also paid tribute to the statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, Rani Lakshmibai, BR Ambedkar and Bhagwan Birsa Munda at the Parliament.
The nomination was announced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President J.P. Nadda, following the abrupt resignation of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar due to health reasons.
Radhakrishnan, a veteran BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, has had a long and distinguished political career. He served as a two-time Member of Parliament from Coimbatore and also held the position of BJP Tamil Nadu State President. His selection is being seen as a strategic move by the BJP to field a prominent South Indian face for the Vice-Presidential post.
The election is scheduled for September 9, and with the NDA holding a comfortable majority in the electoral college—which comprises members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha—Radhakrishnan’s victory is considered highly probable. While the Opposition INDIA bloc may field a candidate, the numbers are overwhelmingly in favor of the NDA nominee.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President J.P. Nadda have praised Radhakrishnan, highlighting his dedication, humility, and deep knowledge of legislative and constitutional matters. The party has also reached out to opposition leaders, expressing its desire for a unanimous election. However, the opposition has yet to officially announce its stance or a potential candidate.