New Delhi, August 20 (HS): The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set for a major political event today as its Vice Presidential nominee C.P. Radhakrishnan will file his nomination papers at 11 a.m. in the Parliament complex. The occasion will see the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Union ministers, and chief ministers and deputy chief ministers from NDA-ruled states. Significantly, Prime Minister Modi himself will be the chief proposer for Radhakrishnan’s candidature.

On Tuesday, Radhakrishnan was formally introduced to alliance MPs during the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting held inside Parliament House. In his address, PM Modi appealed to MPs across the alliance to extend their full support for Radhakrishnan’s election.

Opposition Candidate and Contest Ahead

On the other side, the opposition INDIA bloc has named Justice (Retd.) B. Sudarshan Reddy as its candidate for the post of Vice President. He is scheduled to file his nomination on August 21. A former distinguished judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court and later the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Justice Reddy retired from the Supreme Court in 2011. His candidature is expected to set up a high-profile face-off with the NDA’s pick.

Election Timeline

The Vice Presidential election is being held following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar from the post. The Election Commission had issued the notification for the elections on August 7. Members of both Houses of Parliament will vote in the polls scheduled for September 9, and the results will be declared on the same day.

With both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc fielding heavyweight names, the Vice Presidential election promises to be a significant political battle in the run-up to the Monsoon Session’s climax.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar