NDA Nominee CP Radhakrishnan Files Vice-Presidential Poll Papers; PM Modi Leads Show Of Strength

CP Radhakrishnan, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee for the Vice-Presidential polls, filed his nomination papers on Wednesday in a move that underscored the NDA’s unity and numerical advantage.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accompanied Radhakrishnan during the filing, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and several other senior leaders of the NDA were also present, marking the occasion as a significant show of strength.

Radhakrishnan filed his nomination in four sets, each endorsed by 20 proposers and 20 seconders. Prime Minister Modi acted as the chief proposer by submitting the first set, while Union ministers and NDA allies signed the remaining papers.

Radhakrishnan’s nomination drew support from key figures across the alliance, including Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Anupriya Patel. BJP leaders described the filing as a ‘special moment’ for the NDA, highlighting the consensus within the alliance ahead of the election.

With the Vice-Presidential election hinging largely on parliamentary arithmetic, the NDA nominee appears to enjoy a comfortable edge over the opposition’s INDIA bloc candidate, Sudarshan Reddy.

In the current Lok Sabha, which has 543 members, the BJP commands 240 MPs, while in the Rajya Sabha, it holds 102 out of 233 members. Along with allies, the NDA’s combined tally stands at 421 – 298 in the Lower House and 128 in the Upper House.

By contrast, the INDIA bloc has 235 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 77 in the Rajya Sabha, taking its combined strength to 312. Should the Aam Aadmi Party extend support with its 11 MPs, the total tally could rise to 325.

YSRCP support strengthens NDA lead

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has already announced support for Radhakrishnan. With its 11 MPs, the NDA’s effective strength rises to 433, consolidating its commanding lead and placing Radhakrishnan in a decisive position against the INDIA bloc nominee.

Party strategists say the margin virtually seals the contest in favour of the NDA, leaving little room for surprises.

Meanwhile, the BJP has appealed to opposition parties in Tamil Nadu to rally behind Radhakrishnan, urging them to ‘correct their historic blunder’.

Party leaders recalled how the Dravidian parties declined to support APJ Abdul Kalam for a second presidential term, calling on them not to repeat the same with a Tamil Nadu-born nominee.

The NDA has framed Radhakrishnan’s candidacy as both a political message and a matter of pride for the state, signalling Prime Minister Modi’s continuing emphasis on Tamil Nadu in national politics.

With the nomination process complete and the numbers stacked firmly in its favour, the NDA is positioning Radhakrishnan’s bid as a near-certain victory in the upcoming Vice-Presidential polls.

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