The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday announced Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential election, prompting measured responses from leaders of the INDIA bloc.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “The position of Vice President is vacant. There was a Vice President here. Where is he? A new one will be elected. It is a good thing. What decision we will take, that is a different matter. We will sit and decide...”
Addressing questions about BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Yadav added, “Rajnath Singh ji is a senior leader. He is from UP, he is the Defence Minister. If they talk, we will talk and if there is a need to talk, we will talk. But our political line will be clear when INDIA Alliance decides...”
SP veteran Ram Gopal Yadav emphasised the importance of consensus in key constitutional roles: “There are some positions in the country, be it the President, Vice President, or Lok Sabha Speaker, where consensus is preferable. We don't have much information yet, but we believe that people from South India are capable and good.”
From the Shiv Sena (UBT), MP Priyanka Chaturvedi highlighted Radhakrishnan’s administrative record. “CP Radhakrishnan has been the Governor of Maharashtra for the past one year... He has also been the Governor of Jharkhand, an MP, and I hope that if he is elected, the dignity of this position will be fully restored, as we have seen this position weakened significantly... As far as the INDIA alliance is concerned, the INDIA alliance will make a decision on this together.”
Her party colleague Sanjay Raut expressed cautious approval while stressing other political priorities: “C.P. Radhakrishnan is certainly the Governor of Maharashtra, a very balanced personality... If the Governor of Maharashtra becomes the Vice President, we will be happy, but an election will take place. The INDIA alliance will make a decision, I cannot say what that decision will be... but today we will discuss it and decide. There is a more serious issue in the country than the Vice Presidency, the issue of vote theft, and we do not want to divert attention from it...”
The Vice Presidential election is expected to witness a contest between the NDA’s nominee and a candidate to be announced by the INDIA bloc. Radhakrishnan assumed office as the 24th Governor of Maharashtra on July 31, 2024.
The Election Commission has scheduled polling for September 9, 2025, with vote counting on the same day. The last date for filing nominations is August 21, and withdrawals are allowed until August 25.
