NDA candidate Radhakrishnan files nomination papers for vice presidential election
Modi, flanked by Radhakrishnan and senior leaders from the ruling alliance, handed over four sets of nomination papers to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody, the returning officer for the election which is scheduled for early next month.
Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh (from the JD-U) were the lead proposers.
With the numbers tilted in the NDA's favour — it has 423 MPs in both Houses of Parliament, well ahead of the winning mark of 392 votes (the electoral college comprises) of 782 MPs — sources said the occasion was marked by good-natured banter and humour.
According to BJP sources, Radhakrishnan has begun canvassing to seek support from ruling NDA MPs and a 'larger outreach' will get underway following the conclusion of parliament's Monsoon session on Thursday.
Senior leaders from other NDA allies such as the LJP's Chirag Paswan, JDS's HD Kumaraswamy, RLD's Jayant Chaudhary and TDP's Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, in addition to BJP bigwigs including J P Nadda, Nitin Gadkari and Bhupender Yadav, were also part of what a BJP source called a 'successful display of a united front' by almost the entirety of the BJP-led NDA Union Cabinet.
The PM broke the ice when he said 'bada gambhir mahaul hai' as he entered the chamber of the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha for the official formalities, triggering smiles.
According to a senior NDA leader, a lighthearted moment that unfolded during the process was related to the Rs 15,000 proposers' fee.
'The PM asked the Secretary General whether there was a fee, to which the Secretary General replied in the affirmative and informed that it was Rs 15,000. A senior BJP leader told the PM that the fee had been paid,' a source said.
In response to this, the source added, Secretary General Mody sought to clarify that the amount would not be returned in case the candidate won, triggering laughs.
'Along with Ministers, Party colleagues and NDA leaders, accompanied Thiru CP Radhakrishnan as he filed his nomination for the post of Vice President of India. The NDA family is confident that he will be an outstanding VP and will enrich our journey towards national progress,' the PM said in a post on X later.
The 67-year-old RSS veteran, credited with laying the foundation of the party in his home state of Tamil Nadu, called on former Prime Minister HD Devegowda in addition to interacting with legislators from Maharashtra and Goa on Wednesday evening.
According to BJP sources, while Radhakrishnan's campaign manager, the Defence Minister, has spoken to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and his election manager, Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, has spoken to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi seeking support for the unanimous election of the NDA's candidate. 'Another round of outreach' seeking support for him will take place till September 9.
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