VP polls: Fadnavis calls Sharad Pawar, Uddhav to seek support for NDA nominee Radhakrishnan

Mumbai, Aug 21 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday called NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray to seek their support for NDA's vice-presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan.

The NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) are part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra along with the Congress. The three parties are constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc at the national level.

The ruling NDA has fielded Maharashtra Governor Radhakrishnan as its vice-presidential candidate, while former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy is in the fray from the opposition alliance. The election to the second highest office is set to take place on September 9.

During his telephonic conversations with Pawar and Thackeray, Fadnavis highlighted that Radhakrishnan is a registered voter from Maharashtra, and sought their support for his candidature in the upcoming vice-presidential election, sources said.

The CM urged both the leaders to consider the state connection and extend bipartisan support, they said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has nine and NCP (SP) 10 Lok Sabha MPs, while both the parties have two members each in the Rajya Sabha.

The electoral college for the vice-presidential elections comprises members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Nominated members of the Upper House of Parliament are also eligible to cast their votes.

The effective strength of the electoral college is 781 and the majority mark is 391. PTI MR NP