New Delhi [India], August 17 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday congratulated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan for being named as the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) for the upcoming Vice Presidential election.
In a post on social media platform X, CM Naidu extended his best wishes and full support to the BJP veteran leader.
https://x.com/ncbn/status/1957094137955844348
"Congratulations to Hon'ble Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan Ji on being announced as the NDA's Vice Presidential candidate. A senior statesman and respected leader, he has long served the nation with distinction. The Telugu Desam Party warmly welcomes his nomination and extends its full support," the post read.
Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan is currently serving as the 24th Governor of Maharashtra, a post he assumed on July 31, 2024. He previously served as the Governor of Jharkhand from February 2023 to July 2024. He also held additional charge as the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry between March and July 2024.
A veteran BJP leader, Radhakrishnan, was elected to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore twice and previously served as the Tamil Nadu BJP State President.
Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President and Union Minister JP Nadda on Sunday stated that the party will also talk to the opposition for their support to ensure there was an unopposed election for the post.
Speaking at a press conference, Nadda said "We will talk to the opposition as well. We should also get their support so that together we can ensure an unopposed election for the post of Vice President. As we said earlier, we have been in touch with them and our senior leaders have contacted them earlier as well and even now, we will remain in touch with them and all our NDA colleagues have supported us. CP Radhakrishnan is our NDA's candidate for Vice President."
The Election Commission had earlier announced that polling for the Vice Presidential election will take place on September 9, with counting of votes scheduled for the same day.
The last date for filing nominations is August 21, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until August 25.
The Vice Presidential post fell vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 21, citing health reasons.
"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's resignation letter read.