Shiv Sena (UBT) Welcomes Radhakrishnan’s Nomination, Fadnavis Seeks All-Party Support
Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday welcomed the nomination of Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan as the NDA’s candidate for the post of Vice President.
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday welcomed the nomination of Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan as the NDA’s candidate for the post of Vice President. While the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has not officially declared its support, its open appreciation of his candidacy has sparked unease within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.
Congress leader and Legislature Party head Vijay Wadettiwar stated that he was hopeful that Mr. Thackeray would refrain from supporting the NDA nominee. “Since Mr. Radhakrishnan has not made any significant contribution to Maharashtra, I don’t believe Uddhav Thackeray will back him,” Mr. Wadettiwar said.
A day after his nomination, Mr. Radhakrishnan left for New Delhi to hold discussions with senior BJP leaders. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed to all MPs from the state to support Radhakrishnan’s candidature, emphasizing his ties to Maharashtra. “Though he hails from Tamil Nadu, Mr. Radhakrishnan is a registered voter in Mumbai and cast his vote during last year’s assembly elections. It is a matter of pride for Maharashtra,” Fadnavis said.
The Chief Minister specifically reached out to NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, urging them to support the 68-year-old RSS-affiliated leader.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut welcomed the candidacy, saying, “We are happy that he has been nominated. Before him, Shankar Dayal Sharma, who had ties to Maharashtra, served as Vice President and later President. When someone linked to Maharashtra is selected for a constitutional post, we welcome it with an open mind.”
However, Mr. Raut stopped short of confirming support. “He is an NDA candidate, and Shiv Sena (UBT) is part of the INDIA bloc. A decision will be made collectively within the alliance,” he added.
The electoral college for the Vice President’s election includes all members of both Houses of Parliament. The Shiv Sena (UBT) holds nine Lok Sabha and two Rajya Sabha seats, while the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) has 10 Lok Sabha and two Rajya Sabha members.
With the NDA currently enjoying the backing of at least 422 out of 781 members in the electoral college, Mr. Radhakrishnan’s victory appears to be a foregone conclusion.
