Accompanied by NDA netas & with PM as first proposer, C P Radhakrishnan files papers

NEW DELHI: NDA nominee for the vice-presidential poll C P Radhakrishnan filed his nomination papers Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being the first proposer for his candidature.

Accompanied by PM Modi, defence minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah and other senior netas from the BJP-led alliance, Radhakrishnan filed his papers after offering floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

Modi, flanked by Radhakrishnan and senior NDA leaders, handed over four sets of nomination paper to Rajya Sabha secretary general P C Mody, who is the returning officer for the election. The four sets of paper have Modi, Rajnath Singh, Shah and JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh as lead proposers.


A prospective vice-presidential candidate is required to get his nomination papers subscribed to by at least 20 electors as proposers and at least 20 other electors as seconders.

The NDA has ensured representation of all its constituents as proposers and seconders in the four sets of nomination paper that were filed. The returning officer examined the papers following which Radhakrishnan signed a register. Mody then handed over an acknowledgement slip of the nomination papers to the Prime Minister.

Senior ministers Pralhad Joshi, Dharmendra Pradhan and other NDA netas, including TDP leader and Union minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde, LJSP (RV) leader Chirag Paswan escorted Radhakrishnan to the office of the returning officer in Parliament.

Radhakrishnan's election as vice president is a certainty with NDA having the numbers in the electoral college for the vice presidential election. The electoral college comprises members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Nominated members of the RS are also eligible to cast their votes.

The effective strength of the electoral college is 781 and the majority mark is 391. The ruling NDA enjoys the support of at least 422 members, and non-INDIA bloc parties, such as YSRCP, have already announced support to Radhakrishnan.