Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief said, “The Opposition’s candidate, B Sudarshan Reddy, has already filed his nomination. Even though our numbers are lower than the NDA’s, we are not concerned”
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said the entire Opposition had unanimously agreed to field Sudarshan Reddy as their candidate. File pic
NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar on Friday said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had reached out to him seeking support for the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA's) Vice-Presidential candidate, CP Radhakrishnan. However, Pawar said he conveyed his inability to extend support, PTI reported.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief said, “The Opposition’s candidate, B Sudarshan Reddy, has already filed his nomination. Even though our numbers are lower than the NDA’s, we are not concerned.”
He added that the entire Opposition had unanimously agreed to field Reddy as their candidate, PTI reported.
“All Opposition votes will go to Reddy. We are fully aware of our strength. We’re not expecting any surprises,” stated the veteran politician.
The election for the country’s second-highest constitutional post is scheduled for September 9.
Citing his ideological differences with the NDA nominee, the former Union Minister said, “The NDA’s candidate does not align with our ideology. When he was the Governor of Jharkhand, a case was filed against Chief Minister Hemant Soren. When Soren went to meet the Governor, he was arrested inside the Raj Bhavan. This was a blatant misuse of power. Supporting such a candidate is not acceptable to us. Hence, I politely declined the chief minister’s request.”
On Thursday, Fadnavis had reached out to both Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray to seek their support for Radhakrishnan. According to Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had also called Thackeray with a similar request.
The NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), along with the Congress, form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra and are part of the national-level Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc.
Meanwhile, Raut on Friday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was reaching out to the INDIA bloc parties for support in the vice-presidential election owing to unease among NDA Members of Parliament (MPs) from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, fearing cross-voting, PTI reported.
Drawing a comparison, Raut said, “Just like the Shiv Sena, despite being a BJP ally then, had supported UPA candidate Pratibha Patil in the 2007 presidential election because she was from Maharashtra, there is now a chance that MPs from Andhra and Telangana may back the Opposition candidate Sudarshan Reddy.”
“Is the NDA scared of cross-voting? There could even be cross-voting from the duplicate Shiv Sena (referring to the faction led by Eknath Shinde). On paper, the NDA may have a majority, but the Opposition candidate hails from Andhra Pradesh. There is discomfort among MPs from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,” he claimed.
Raut also credited Rahul Gandhi for creating a political atmosphere in the country that could influence voting in states like Bihar and beyond.
He further remarked that it was ironic for the BJP to seek support from the very parties “it once tried to break.”
“While calls to Thackeray and Pawar may be termed as political courtesy, Shiv Sena (UBT) is firmly backing the Opposition candidate,” Raut affirmed.
(With PTI inputs)
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