Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday felicitated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, the NDA’s Vice Presidential candidate, during the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting at the Parliament Library building.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP President JP Nadda, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Jitendra Singh, Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal, L Murugan, and several MPs, including Sambit Patra and Subhash Barala, were present at the event.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed confidence that Radhakrishnan would receive wide political support. “We are proud that a person like C.P. Radhakrishnan has been chosen as the NDA candidate. Leaders of the alliance thanked PM Modi, and we are hopeful that all parties will back him,” Rijiju said.
Radhakrishnan is scheduled to file his nomination papers on August 20 at 11 am, with nearly 160 members, including 20 proposers and 20 supporters, expected to join. The Vice Presidential election will take place on September 9.
Earlier, a meeting of NDA floor leaders at Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s residence unanimously endorsed Radhakrishnan’s candidature. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been appointed as his campaign manager, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju will act as his election agent.
A seasoned politician, Radhakrishnan has served as a Member of Parliament and as the Governor of Jharkhand and Telangana. PM Modi praised him for his “dedication, humility, and intellect,” highlighting his grassroots work in Tamil Nadu.
The NDA is working towards securing an unopposed election, with BJP President JP Nadda reaching out to opposition leaders. The nomination is also seen as strategically significant in the run-up to the Tamil Nadu elections.
The election of the Vice President is governed by Articles 64–68 of the Constitution, and is conducted through proportional representation by single transferable vote and secret ballot.