Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 18: Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc are set to meet on Monday morning to discuss their joint candidate for the vice-presidential election, sources said. The meeting will take place at 10.15 am at the office of Congress president and Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

The discussions come a day after the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan as its nominee for the post, the second-highest constitutional position in the country. A veteran BJP leader with RSS roots, Radhakrishnan hails from Tamil Nadu, which goes to polls in 2026.

BJP chief J P Nadda said on Sunday that the NDA would reach out to opposition parties to build consensus on Radhakrishnan’s candidature. The ruling camp hopes his southern connect could help garner wider support, including from Tamil Nadu’s DMK.

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc had earlier declared its intent to field a joint “non-political” candidate. It remains to be seen if the opposition parties will go ahead with that plan or reconsider in light of the NDA’s pick.

The vice-presidential election was necessitated after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned last month. Voting is scheduled for September 9, with August 21 being the last day for filing nominations.