Fadnavis urges Uddhav, Pawar to back NDA’s V-P candidate

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday (August 22) that Shiv-Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was yet to take a call on the Vice Presidential election and had told him that he would decide after holding discussions with others.

Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said that apart from Uddhav, he has also spoken to NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and urged both the leaders to support Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, who has been nominated as the NDA’s Vice Presidential candidate. Radhakrishnan has been pitted against the Opposition candidate, former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy, in the Vice Presidential election.

Pawar to support Opposition candidate

Fadnavis said, while Pawar told him that since the Opposition has come together and fielded a candidate for the Vice Presidential election, he has to support them, adding that Uddhav said that he would decide on the matter after discussing with others.

“Uddhav told me he would discuss the issue with others and then decide on the matter. Sarad Pawar said that since the entire Opposition is fielding a candidate, we have to support them,” he added.

Also Read: V-P election: CP Radhakrishnan, accompanied by Modi, NDA leaders, files nomination

‘Marathi pride’ and V-P polls

As for the reason behind approaching two Opposition leaders seeking support for the NDA’s Vice Presidential candidate, Fadnavis said that the Vice Presidential candidate is considered to be non-partisan as there is no whip for it.

Elaborating further, the Chief Minister said that he approached Pawar and Uddhav since both of them are committed to the “Marathi pride” and requested them to support Radhakrishnan, who is not only the Maharashtra Governor but also a voter from Mumbai.

“I called Sarad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray and urged them to support the CP Radhakrishnan, the Maharashtra Governor and a voter from Mumbai. The Vice Presidential election is considered to be non-partisan because there is no whip in this election,” said Fadnavis.

“Hence I requested them, saying that since they are leaders who are committed to the Maratha pride and since a voter from Maharashtra is contesting in the Vice Presidential election, they should support him,” he added.

Also Read: Justice Sudershan Reddy as V-P candidate: Why Telugu parties are in a bind

Pawar's response

Later in the day, Pawar said that he couldn't support Radhakrishnan just because he was the Governor of Maharashtra, adding that he does not ideologically align with them.

"Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis urged us to support the NDA’s VP candidate, CP Radhakrishnan, as he is the Governor of Maharashtra. It is not possible as he does not align with our ideology. Also, CP Radhakrishnan was the Governor of Jharkhand. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was arrested during his visit to the Raj Bhavan by central agencies. CM requested that he not be arrested in Raj Bhavan. He will come out and surrender. But his request was not considered. This is how the power was misused. Thus, we cannot support those who do not believe in democracy," said Pawar as quoted by ANI.

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

While the Shiv Sena has nine MPS in the Lok Sabha, the NCP (SP) has 10. Both parties have two members each in the Rajya Sabha.