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Setback for Opposition’s bid to gain Telugu parties’ backing for Vice President polls
With the support of these three parties and possibly with help from the BJD, the NDA can secure at least 60% of the votes in the vice-presidential election.
The Opposition’s attempts to seek support from Telugu parties for its vice-presidential election candidate, former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, have suffered a setback. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) are backing the ruling National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) nominee CP Radhakrishnan.
According to a Congress leader aware of the details, the opposition party had reached out to TDP, YSRCP and BRS in an attempt to push lawmakers from the three parties to vote for a Telugu-speaking public figure in the September 9 elections. In Parliament, the TDP has 18 members, followed by YSRCP with 11 and BRS with four. However, the Congress did not get a favourable response from these parties.
After the NDA announced Maharashtra governor Radhakrishnan as its pick for the upcoming polls, the N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP backed the alliance’s candidate. Party leader and Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh, in an August 19 post on X, said, “No ambiguity - only warmth, respect, and resolve. The NDA stands united.”
BRS working president KT Rama Rao, on Friday, said, “No one has asked for our support,” refuting the Opposition’s claims that they reached out to the party. “Polls will be held on September 9. Our party will discuss and decide before the poll date.”
Rao had also said that the BRS would extend support to the party that would ensure 200,000 metric tonnes of urea for the state’s farmers.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has also reached out to YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has informally ensured the party’s support for the NDA pick. Reddy has said that the YSRCP will soon finalise its stance after a meeting of party leaders.
With the support of these three parties and with the possible help from the seven-MP strong Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the NDA can secure at least 60% of the votes in the vice-presidential election. The BJD has said that it will soon take a decision regarding the upcoming polls, but given the party’s understanding with the ruling BJP on various issues, the Congress and the Opposition are not hopeful of securing support. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had reached out to BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, who was recently hospitalised.
In the 781-member electoral college comprising both Houses of Parliament, the NDA holds the edge with 427 votes.
