Who Will Emerge as the Joint Vice-Presidential Candidate? Opposition Gears Up for a South Showdown!

Opposition Parties Prepare for Vice-Presidential Candidate Announcement

New Delhi: The opposition coalition is set to announce its joint candidate for the vice-presidential role on Tuesday, following another round of discussions, marking a potential 'south versus south' battle for this significant constitutional position.

On Monday evening, various opposition leaders convened at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to deliberate on potential candidates for the vice-presidency, with several names, particularly from Tamil Nadu, being put forward.

Earlier that day, Defence Minister and senior BJP figure Rajnath Singh reached out to opposition leaders, including Kharge, urging a unified election for the new vice-president and advocating for C P Radhakrishnan's candidacy.

However, sources indicate that the opposition is inclined to present a joint candidate for the vice-presidential election scheduled for September 9, aiming to nominate a respected figure with national recognition for this prominent role.

Reports suggest that senior DMK officials have recommended an esteemed scientist from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), who is also from Tamil Nadu, as a candidate for the vice-presidency, a proposal that has garnered support from Congress.

Additionally, the name of senior DMK leader Tiruchi Siva has surfaced, although discussions with other opposition leaders regarding this nomination are still pending.

Siva has refrained from commenting, stating that the leadership will make the final decision.

NDA candidate Radhakrishnan also hails from Tamil Nadu, a state set to hold elections in 2026.

This meeting at Kharge's residence followed the NDA's announcement of Radhakrishnan as its nominee for the vice-presidential position.

Notable opposition figures present at the meeting included CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby, TMC's Derek O'Brien, RJD's Prem Chand Gupta, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav, DMK's Kanimozhi, and JMM's Lok Sabha leader Vijay Hansda.

Kharge and other senior Congress leaders also engaged in discussions with top representatives from various parties, exploring potential candidates over the phone.

Congress general secretary for communications, Jairam Ramesh, later confirmed that another meeting of opposition leaders is scheduled for Tuesday.

"A meeting of leaders from all opposition parties in Parliament will take place at 12:30 PM tomorrow, August 19th, at 10, Rajaji Marg," Ramesh announced on X, without providing further details.

BJP president J P Nadda, while announcing Radhakrishnan's nomination after a party parliamentary board meeting on Sunday, stated that the NDA would consult with opposition parties to reach a consensus for the vice-presidential election.

The BJP's choice of a candidate from Tamil Nadu is strategic, considering the upcoming Assembly elections next year, with hopes that the ruling DMK will support its nominee. However, the DMK may surprise by proposing another candidate from Tamil Nadu for the position.

The Congress-led INDIA opposition bloc has previously declared its intention to nominate a joint 'non-political' candidate for the election.

The vice-presidential election, prompted by the unexpected resignation of incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar last month, is set for September 9, with the deadline for nominations on August 21.