Hyderabad: National Democratic Alliance (NDA) CP Radhakrishnan, candidate for the Vice Presidential election, has received unanimous support from all political parties in Opposition YSR Congress Party-interest in Andhra Pradesh.
In Telangana, however, Radhakrishnan has only supported the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with eight Lok Sabha members, while the ruling Congress and its friendly party All India Majlis-e-Itiyadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), who have 12 MPs together, have picked up their support for India Blok.
Chief Protest-Bharat President Committee (BRS), who do not have any Lok Sabha members, but four Rajya Sabha MPs have not explained their stand on which the Vice-President has to expand the support in the elections-Radhakrishnan or Sudarsan Reddy.
BRS spokesperson and MLC Dasoju Srivan told HT, “We have not yet discussed the issue. Our party president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will make a call on the matter. It is too early to talk about it.”
The Chief Minister of Telangana, a Revantha Reddy, demanded the BRS to increase the spirit of Telangana in the corner. Reddy told reporters on Tuesday, “Justice Sudarshan Reddy’s announcement has been proud of Telugu people, especially Telangana, as Vice-Presidential candidate of India Block.”
He said that the son of Telangana was born into a farmer family and was a matter of pride, as a candidate for the Vice President, above political affiliation.
The Chief Minister appealed to the Telugu people to ensure the victory of Justice Sudarsan Reddy. He said, “It is a proud moment that once again a Telugu has been declared the vice -president of such height. It’s time to rise and unite above politics,” he said.
Revanath Reddy urged the leaders in party lines – including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, BRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao, Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, Communist parties, and both to include both people from Telugu states.
“Justice Reddy is not a Congress candidate. He is a legal luminary proposed by the India Block, which has no political affiliation, currently serving as an independent expert committee chairman,” the CM clarified.
In Andhra Pradesh, TDP and Jana Sena Party, who are part of the NDA, supported Radhakrishnan’s candidature. TDP has 16 Lok Sabha members and two Rajya Sabha members, while Janasena has two Lok Sabha MPs. The BJP has three Lok Sabha members and two Rajya Sabha members in the BJP.
Jana Sena party chief Pawan Kalyan issued a statement welcoming Radhakrishnan’s selection as NDA candidate for the Vice Presidential election, while a delegation of TDP leaders led by state IT Minister Nara Lokesh met Radhakrishnan in New Delhi and failed.
“There is no ambiguity, only warmth, honor and resolution. NDA is united,” Lokesh said, after meeting Radhakrishnan with senior TDP leaders and MPs.
He praised Radhakrishnan’s huge administrative experience as the governor of many states, expressing confidence that his discipline, perseverance and service-oriented leadership would inspire the younger generation and benefit the nation in the coming years.
Interestingly, YSRCP, although it is not part of the NDA, was supported by Radhakrishnan. “Our party president and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy decided that we should support Radhakrishnan as he has better possibilities to win. We cannot oppose a person to oppose,” YSRCP Parliamentary Party leader YV Sabba Reddy told HT.
He said that the NDA had reached the first YSRCP, seeking his support to Radhakrishnan. Sabba Reddy said, “Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh personally called Jagan and requested YSRCP support. It was a kind of gesture and we have to get it mutually obtained.”
Currently, YSRCP has seven Rajya Sabha and four Lok Sabha seats. Jagan’s stance in this vice -president election can mark a decisive change in future political alignment.
Back in 2018, also, even though the TDP was part of the NDA, YSRCP supported the decisions of the NDA. TDP later pulled out of the NDA alliance, and YSRCP, which came to power in Andhra Pradesh in 2019, maintained good relations with the NDA government.
By 2024 elections, YSRCP supported the unconditional of NDA bills in Parliament. “Jagan still enjoys indirect support from the BJP, which has clearly placed it as an alternative in Andhra Pradesh. From the very beginning, it is softening towards Jagan, as it does not want the Congress to be alive again in Andhra Pradesh,” said political analyst Ramesh Kandula.
In addition, Jagan is opposing the Congress as he came out of it and was imprisoned in 2012 in a case of uneven property. A few days ago, Jagan made serious remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, refused to support the later fight against alleged vote theft across the country.
“Rahul Gandhi is in contact with Chandrababu Naidu regularly on the hotline. Therefore, the Congress is an incredible party,” he said.
Since his sister YS Sharmila is leading the Congress in Andhra, taking a strong YSRCP stand, he will not support the Congress -backed candidate in the Vice Presidential elections, Kandula said.
