A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced C P Radhakrishnan as the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) candidate for the vice-presidential election, the Opposition INDIA bloc held a crucial meeting on Monday evening to deliberate on its own nominee. According to sources close to Indian Express, discussions have narrowed down to a couple of names, with a final decision expected on Tuesday.
Who are the possible V-P candidates?
The meeting, convened at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in Delhi, saw Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar propose the name of author Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), however, put forward former ISRO scientist and Padma Shri awardee M Annadurai as a strong alternative. Also, senior DMK parliamentarian Tiruchi Siva is also under consideration.
Tamil Nadu at the centre of political calculations
The DMK’s suggestion carries particular weight, given the regional context. With Radhakrishnan being a seasoned BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, the DMK is concerned that his likely victory could be projected by the BJP and its ally, the AIADMK, as a symbolic win for Tamil pride. Such a narrative, it fears, could be leveraged in the state’s Assembly elections scheduled for next year.
BJP Tamil Nadu state chief Nainar Nagendran has already described Radhakrishnan’s nomination as “a moment of Tamil pride”, urging the DMK to “correct its historic blunder” of not supporting A P J Abdul Kalam for a second presidential term. This rhetoric has further raised the stakes for the DMK, which sees a counter-nomination from the state as a way of blunting the BJP’s appeal.
Opposition weighs symbolic options
While some other names, including that of a former judge, were also floated, consensus appears to be forming around either Tushar Gandhi or M Annadurai. The Trinamool Congress, which had abstained in the previous vice-presidential election after alleging it was not consulted, is understood to be on board this time. Party sources indicated that both Gandhi and Annadurai were acceptable choices, reflecting a broader preference within the Opposition camp for a candidate from outside mainstream politics.
Annadurai, known for his pivotal role as programme director of Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, and the Mars Orbiter Mission, carries the appeal of being a technocrat with national recognition. Gandhi, on the other hand, represents a symbolic legacy. If nominated, he would become the second direct descendant of Mahatma Gandhi to contest the post, following Rajmohan Gandhi’s unsuccessful bid against M Venkaiah Naidu in 2017.
Who is Tiruchi Siva?
Senior DMK parliamentarian Tiruchi Siva is also under consideration. Amid speculation of being considered as the Opposition’s vice-presidential candidate, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva on Monday said he was not the person to comment, adding that party leaders would take the final call. A veteran parliamentarian, Siva was first elected in 1996 and has since completed five terms across both Houses. Known for his long association with the DMK, he began his career in the party’s student and youth wings and is regarded as a trusted aide of its leadership. In 2015, he created history by piloting the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, the first private member’s bill passed in 45 years.
Numbers favour NDA
Despite the deliberations, the INDIA bloc acknowledges that the contest is largely symbolic. With the NDA commanding a comfortable majority in the electoral college, Radhakrishnan’s victory is all but assured. Nevertheless, fielding a consensus candidate allows the Opposition to project unity and keep the political contest alive.
Senior leaders of the INDIA bloc will meet again on Tuesday afternoon to finalise the nominee. Congress chief Kharge is expected to make the announcement, with elections scheduled for 9 September.
Radhakrishnan’s campaign starts
Meanwhile, C P Radhakrishnan, who currently serves as the Governor of Maharashtra, arrived in New Delhi on Monday. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who conveyed his best wishes, praising Radhakrishnan’s “long years of public service and experience across domains”.
Later in the evening, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi hosted Radhakrishnan at his residence, where leaders of the NDA, including JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha and Apna Dal (S) leader Anupriya Patel, extended their congratulations. Sources confirmed that Radhakrishnan will be formally introduced to the NDA Parliamentary Party before filing his nomination papers on Tuesday.
Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Ram Mohan Naidu, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, welcomed him at the airport earlier in the day. Rijiju has been appointed his election agent, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has taken charge as campaign manager, reaching out to leaders across party lines for support.
Although the outcome of the election appears predetermined, the choice of Opposition candidate carries strategic weight. For the DMK, it is about preventing the BJP from monopolising the Tamil narrative. For the Congress and other allies, it is about reinforcing the message of Opposition unity. And for the Trinamool Congress, participation in the joint effort is a way of avoiding the isolation that marked the last vice-presidential contest.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday reached out to key regional leaders in a bid to secure wider backing for NDA vice-presidential nominee Radhakrishnan. Singh spoke over phone with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik (BJD), urging support for a consensus candidate. He also contacted former Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, whose YSRCP with 11 MPs has already pledged support to the NDA. Earlier, Singh is learnt to have reached out to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, as part of efforts to expand the alliance’s support base.
The Vice-Presidential election is scheduled for September 9.