The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday declared Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan as its nominee for the Vice President’s post, just weeks after Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped down. The election for the constitutional position is scheduled for September 9, while August 22 has been fixed as the deadline for filing nominations. BJP chief and Union minister JP Nadda made the announcement during a press conference in Delhi. He added that the ruling alliance would reach out to opposition parties in a bid to ensure consensus. Nadda stated that the NDA’s collective support had already been extended to Radhakrishnan, Hindustan Times reported.
Nadda said that the alliance would also seek opposition support to guarantee an uncontested election. He stressed that senior NDA leaders had previously been in touch with opposition members and would continue efforts in this direction. Earlier in the day, the BJP’s parliamentary board met to finalise the candidate’s name, with top leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in attendance.
Also Read: Jagdeep Dhankhar Resigns as Vice President of India, Cites Health Reasons
Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar had tendered his resignation last month on the first day of the monsoon session. In a letter addressed to the President of India, Dhankhar cited health concerns as the reason for stepping down. “To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution,” Dhankhar wrote in his resignation. " I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency – the Hon'ble President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure," Dhankhar wrote.