VP nominee pick: DMK alleges BJP eyes poll mileage, AIADMK tells TN MPs to back Radhakrishnan

Chennai, Aug 18 (PTI) Senior DMK leader TKS Elangovan on Monday alleged the BJP is nominating Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan to the post of vice president for its "own electoral gain" since the Assembly election is less than a year away in Tamil Nadu, and that, it is aimed at "deceiving the people." While AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami urged all MPs from Tamil Nadu to vote for Radhakrishnan, Tamil Nadu BJP said if the DMK does not back its former state unit president it would not be "pardonable at all." The DMK leader, however, gave a clear hint that his party would not back Radhakrishnan's candidature.

BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajn said the DMK, over 2 decades ago, committed a "historic blunder" by not supporting APJ Abdul Kalam's candidature, backed by the NDA, for the office of President.

Now, another opportunity beckoned the Dravidian party and they should now support a Tamilian, Radhakrishnan, to the office of vice president, she urged.

Rejecting DMK's allegation of discrimination against Tamil Nadu by the BJP-led Centre on issues including Keeladi findings, the senior BJP leader listed a string of initiatives by the union government for Tamil Nadu including railway infrastructure. "If the DMK does not support Radhakrishnan it is not pardonable at all," she said.

Elangovan made it clear that Radhakrishnan is a BJP man, and his nomination by the saffron party for the second top Constitutional office is an elevation to him, and claimed "it is not going to do anything good" to Tamil Nadu.

A former Rajya Sabha MP, Elangovan, wondered why the DMK should support Radhakrishnan's candidature and said his party would abide by the decision of the INDIA bloc, in which his party is a major partner.

AIADMK general secretary Palaniswami, welcoming Radhakrishnan's candidature said all the MPs from Tamil Nadu should support his candidature. Radhakrishnan belongs to Tamil Nadu, and a Tamilian getting named for the high office is an opportunity for the state and hence all the MPs, casting aside party-based divide, should come forward and extend support to him, Palaniswami told reporters in Tiruvannamalai.

In Madurai, former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam described Radhakrishnan as an affable leader and said, "As per my conscience, I am welcoming Radhakrishnan's nomination to the top post of vice president." Vaiko, general secretary of MDMK, a DMK ally, said he was extending his party's "happy wishes" to Radhakrishnan, transcending "party lines" since the Maharashtra Governor is "a Tamilian and a cultured man who respects everyone cutting across political parties" Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy welcomed Radhakrishanan's candiature and hailed the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief as a leader who understood the nuances of politics. "He is a talented person who could execute the task assigned to him," he said.

Elangovan, criticising what he dubbed the BJP's intention in fielding Radhakrishnan, claimed the Maharashtra governor's nomination comes against the background of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, due by March-April 2026.

Elangovan alleged: "The BJP did not name Radhakrishnan for the sake of the Tamil Nadu people, but it was considering their own gains in the election since Assembly polls are round the corner, due by March-April 2026. They want to deceive the TN people by going to people with the claim that we have made a Tamilian the vice president." He also alleged that the BJP regime at the Centre was insulting Tamil Nadu in all ways. "What have they done for Tamil Nadu state and its culture? he asked.

"What happened to Keeladi findings, and why was an ASI archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishnan transferred when he said Keeladi was the "oldest civilisation in India? Why do they not want to accept Tamil civilisation as the oldest civilisation? Is it not an insult to Tamils?" Elangovan questioned.

Further, he alleged: "They claim as if they have done something very great to Tamil Nadu; tell them to first recognise Keeladi findings, will they do it? Why are they refusing to do it? They are insulting Tamil Nadu itself and the Tamils themselves and the people have understood this and that is why they have not accepted the BJP at any time." The BJP leadership has nominated a Tamilian to make a claim that it has done good for the Tamils, Elangovan told PTI Videos." Also, the tenure (of the new vice president) is going to be only for about 2 years, which is the remainder of Jagdeep Dhankar's term," he said.

According to official rules, the vice president, when elected, would have a full term. According to Article 67 of the Constitution, the term of office of the vice president would be for a term of five years from the date on which he assumes office.

Reiterating allegations such as the Centre does not provide funds to the state for education, he alleged Tamil Nadu is sidelined and that the state was not accepted by the BJP. Whenever BJP leaders visit the state, they praise Tamil Nadu and every Tamilian knows that the BJP government is insulting them and that they do not want to do good to the people of Tamil Nadu. He alleged: "They do not want development of Tamil Nadu." PTI VGN VGN ROH