Chennai: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has placed the ruling DMK and India block in Tamil Nadu in a tight place, urging them to support the nomination of Chandrapuram Ponsamy Radhakrishnan for the post of Vice President. BJP state president Nanar Nagendran said on Monday that it was a “historic moment” that Radhakrishnan, “son of Tamil clay”, was elected to the Vice Presidential elections.
“This is not only a political decision, but a glorious belief for all Tamil people. If history records that every party rises above political boundaries, supports this honor given to a Tamil leader, it will be remembered as a milestone in healthy politics. Therefore, I appeal to all leaders and members of Indi Alliance that they raise above the party lines and said that he said.
The NDA on Sunday announced CP Radhakrishnan, who was serving as Maharashtra Governor, as its candidate for the Vice President Poll for 9 September.
DMK has 22 members in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha. Even though the NDA does not need its support in terms of numbers, the BJP is appealing to the Dravidian party and its allies (Congress, Vihuthi Chirutahgal Kachi, CPI (M), CPI, etc.) to rise above politics and support Tamilians.
Interestingly, Radhakrishnan met Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin at his Chennai residence a week ago on August 11. At that time the leaders had said that Radhakrishnan had met him to inquire about Stalin’s health as he was hospitalized for a week and was discharged in July.
Radhakrishnan is from the Gounder community in the western region which has historically been a stronghold of AIADMK, where DMK has recently received the ground. AIADMK general secretary and opposition leader Edappdi Palaniswami (EPS) also belongs to the Gounder community, as Annamalai of the former BJP President.
Radhakrishnan was born in Tiruppur and was chosen twice from Coimbatore – the only pocket where the BJP has its support in the state, which has been ruled by DMK or AIADMK since 1967.
After rooting in the RSS in Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan was the state president of the BJP unit in the past. He was first elected from the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat in 1998, which was before LK Advani’s visit after bomb blasts in Coimbatore City that year. He retained the seat the following year.
Radhakrishnan’s enrollment comes at a time when Tamil Nadu faces assembly elections next year and DMK has criticized the BJP for being anti -Tamil. The BJP is trying to enter the southern state and Radhakrishnan’s enrollment seems to be another outreach for the Tamil population.
DMK spokesman A Saravanan said that the BJP’s decision to nominate Radhakrishnan would not affect voters. He cited the example of former BJP state president L Murugan, who lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu despite being made Union Minister from the upper house.
He said, “Radhakrishnan is an RSS man. What benefits can be brought to the people of Tamil Nadu? The people of Tamil Nadu can see what the BJP is doing,” he said.
Nagendran’s meeting with superstar Rajinikanth at his Chennai residence on Monday also speculated in support of the actor as he is known for bending towards the right -wing in a state, where film stars straddated politics.
Rajinikanth was supported by the BJP to make his political debut in Tamil Nadu in the 2021 assembly elections, but after several fit and after starting, he supported. Their collective influence has held elections in Tamil Nadu like 1996, when AIADMK said “even Lord Tamil Nadu cannot be saved” if J Jayalalithaa wins again.
Nagendran said that he met the actor to wish to complete 50 years in the film industry. “An artist who has ruled the Indian film industry for half a century, with the holy ash on his forehead and patriotism in his heart, remains a everlasting national actor,” said Nagendran.
