Radhakrishnan meets NDA MPs at Parliamentary Party meet, PM seeks support for him

Modi introduced the Maharashtra governor, a seasoned BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, to the NDA MPs, talking about his long public life in which he served in different capacities. NDA MPs congratulated Radhakrishan, who will likely file his nomination Wednesday, and presented him with bouquets and shawls.

While Union minister Kiren Rijiju conducted the meeting, which lasted for about an hour, PM Modi addressed the delegates.

After the meeting, Rijiju said: “The NDA candidate for the Vice Presidential election, C P Radhakrishnan, was introduced in the meeting. The floor leaders, MPs of the NDA, warmly welcomed CP Radhakrishnan ji, congratulated him and thanked the Prime Minister. His introduction was given by Prime Minister Modi in the meeting of the NDA Parliamentary Party. Along with the introduction, Prime Minister Modi has appealed that the entire party and all the MPs of the parties should come together and unanimously support the candidate decided by the NDA for the Vice Presidential election.”

Prime Minister Modi was learnt to have told the ruling alliance MPs that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was trying to forge a consensus with the Opposition on Radhakrishnan’s name.

The Opposition’s Vice-Presidential candidate, Reddy, was the first Lokayukta of Goa. He is also on the Board of Trustees of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre in Hyderabad.

“Radhakrishnan is a very good name for the post of Vice President. Everyone has accepted this. There is no controversy in his life, no corruption, no stain, he has lived a very simple life and has worked for the society and the country. If such a person becomes the Vice President of the country, it will be a matter of great happiness for the country,” Rijiju said.

At the meeting, Modi is also learnt to have raised the Indus Waters Treaty. He told NDA MPs that the treaty awarded 80 percent of the water to Pakistan in a flawed manner, and that it would stay in abeyance.

Vikas Pathak is deputy associate editor with The Indian Express and writes on national politics. He has over 17 years of experience, and has worked earlier with The Hindustan Times and The Hindu, among other publications. He has covered the national BJP, some key central ministries and Parliament for years, and has covered the 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and many state assembly polls. He has interviewed many Union ministers and Chief Ministers. Vikas has taught as a full-time faculty member at Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; Symbiosis International University, Pune; Jio Institute, Navi Mumbai; and as a guest professor at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Vikas has authored a book, Contesting Nationalisms: Hinduism, Secularism and Untouchability in Colonial Punjab (Primus, 2018), which has been widely reviewed by top academic journals and leading newspapers. He did his PhD, M Phil and MA from JNU, New Delhi, was Student of the Year (2005-06) at ACJ and gold medalist from University Rajasthan College in Jaipur in graduation. He has been invited to top academic institutions like JNU, St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and IIT Delhi as a guest speaker/panellist. ... Read More

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