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BJP reaches out to DMK, INDIA ahead of VP poll
On Sunday evening, the NDA announced Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the vice-presidential poll scheduled for September 9
Chennai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit of Tamil Nadu on Monday urged the DMK-led government and INDIA bloc to support the nomination of CP Radhakrishnan for the post of vice-president.
On Sunday evening, the NDA announced Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the vice-presidential poll scheduled for September 9.
“My heartfelt request to the leaders of the INDI Alliance parties in Tamil Nadu,” said BJP state president Nainar Nagendran on Monday adding that it was a “historic moment” that Radhakrishnan, “the son of Tamil soil” had been chosen. “This is not merely a political decision, but a proud recognition for all Tamil people. If history records that every party, rising above political boundaries, supported this honour being bestowed on a Tamil leader, it will be remembered as a milestone in healthy politics,” Nagendran said. “Therefore, I sincerely appeal to all leaders and members of the INDI Alliance in Tamil Nadu to rise above party lines and extend their support…”
BJP’s ally and Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition AIADMK also lauded the national party’s leaders for choosing a politician from Tamil Nadu as the V-P nominee.
DMK leaders have not reacted to his nomination. The DMK has 22 members in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha and though the NDA does not require their support in terms of numbers the BJP is appealing to the Dravidian party and its allies (Congress, Vidhuthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, CPI (M), CPI, etc) to rise above politics and support a Tamilian.
Interestingly, Radhakrishnan had met chief minister and DMK president MK Stalin in his Chennai residence on August 11. The leaders at the time had said that Radhakrishnan met him to enquire about Stalin’s health since he had been hospitalised for a week and discharged in July.
Radhakrishnan belongs to the Gounder community in the western region which has historically been the citadel of the AIADMK and the DMK is gaining ground only recently. AIADMK general secretary and leader of Opposition Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) also belongs to the Gounder community. As does former BJP state president K Annamalai.
Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was born in Tiruppur and elected twice from Coimbatore — the only pocket where BJP has its own support base in the state which has been successively ruled by either the DMK or AIADMK since 1967. The Maharashtra governor has his roots in the RSS in Tamil Nadu, was formerly the state president of the BJP unit. He was first elected from the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat in 1998 following the bomb blasts in Coimbatore city that year ahead of LK Advani’s visit. He retained the seat the following year.
Radhakrishnan’s nomination comes at a time when Tamil Nadu faces assembly elections next year and the DMK has been criticising the BJP for being anti-Tamil. The BJP has been trying to make inroads into the southern state and Radhakrishnan’s nomination seems to be another outreach to the Tamil population.
DMK spokesperson A Saravanan said: “BJP’s decision to nominate Radhakrishnan will not influence voters.” He cited the example of former BJP state president L Murugan who despite being made Union minister from the Upper House lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu. “Radhakrishnan is an RSS man. What benefit can be brought to the people of Tamil Nadu? People of Tamil Nadu can see through what the BJP is doing,” Saravanan said.
Nagendran’s meeting with superstar Rajinikanth at his Chennai residence on Monday also set off speculation of roping in the actor’s support since he is known to lean towards the right wing in a state where film stars straddle politics. Rajinikanth was backed by the BJP to make his political debut in the 2021 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu but after several fits and starts, he backed out.
