TDP stands firm with NDA V-P pick; Modi urges unanimous election of alliance candidate

The NDA parliamentary party on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) felicitated the alliance’s candidate for the vice-presidential polls, C.P. Radhakrishnan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealing for support for him across party lines, and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Nara Lokesh reiterating his party’s support to him, after the INDIA bloc chose Justice (retired) Sudershan Reddy as its candidate.

Posting on X, Mr. Lokesh said there was “no ambiguity — only warmth, respect, and resolve. The NDA stands united,” over a picture taken earlier of him and TDP MPs meeting Mr. Radhakrishnan to extend their support to his candidature. The post clarified that despite the fact that Justice Reddy was a Telugu speaker, the TDP was supporting the NDA candidate, Mr. Radhakrishnan, who is a Tamilian.

Mr. Radhakrishnan had earlier received support from the YSRCP on Monday (August 18, 2025), after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had spoken to party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy. Till the time of filing this report, there was no official word on whether that offer of support still stands.

Mr. Modi, meanwhile, used the opportunity presented by the NDA parliamentary party meet to exhort all parties to elect Mr. Radhakrishnan. In a reference to Mr. Radhakrishnan’s background as a keen sportsperson, Mr. Modi said he had a lot of interests in sports but did not play games in politics, according to informed sources.

“Mr. Modi has appealed, especially to the Opposition friends, to unanimously elect Radhakrishnan ji as the Vice-President of India. It will be a good thing for the country, for democracy and for the running of the Rajya Sabha,” said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. He added that NDA constituents also commended Mr. Modi for selecting a “good and able candidate” as the NDA candidate for the vice-presidential polls.

Mr. Singh had also dialled Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik but no official word either way has been forthcoming from those quarters.

BJP sources said Mr. Singh would continue to canvass support across party lines for Mr. Radhakrishnan, with Mr. Rijiju having been appointed polling agent.

Mr. Radhakrishnan will be filing his nomination papers on Wednesday (August 20, 2025), and polls for electing the Vice-President of India, with an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament, will be held on September 9. Results will be out on the same day as polling.