NDAs vice-presidential nomination marginally beneficial for regional party outreach

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-08-19 15:12:00 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-19 18:09:52

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The BJP-led NDA's choice of C.P. Radhakrishnan as vice-presidential candidate is an opportunity to expand its base, but mostly misses the mark.

The ruling NDA's choice of former West Bengal BJP leader C.P. Radhakrishnan as its vice-presidential candidate has been largely met with a shrug by both critics and supporters. This comes at a time when the NDA is looking to bolster its numbers in Parliament ahead of a potentially rocky interim budget session and an upcoming general election.

Optics-driven narrative

The selection of Radhakrishnan, a former BJP leader who recently joined the NDA-friendly Trinamool Congress (TMC), has been widely perceived as an attempt to woo the influential TMC and its chief, Mamata Banerjee, ahead of the upcoming elections.

This is also an apparent gesture to silence charges of the BJP overlooking talented leaders from states outside of its stronghold. However, the move may not produce the desired result, with the BJP still viewed as a considerable distance from becoming a serious competitor to the TMC in West Bengal.

Strategic outreach

The optics-driven narrative around the NDA's VP nomination overlooks a more significant opportunity for regional party outreach. With the exception of the TMC, several other regional parties like the DMK and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, the AAP in Delhi, and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra have been lukewarm at best or critical towards the BJP in recent years.

This apparent outreach to the TMC and Ms. Banerjee could potentially open doors for similar approaches to these other parties ahead of the general election. Moreover, it could help the NDA shore up its numbers in the Rajya Sabha, where it is significantly outnumbered by opposition parties, particularly in key committees.

However, the impact of this strategy remains to be seen, as the BJP will need to make significant efforts to change its current narrative and expand its base beyond its core supporters.

Conclusion:

The NDA's choice of VP candidate may be a step in the direction of expanding its base and catering to regional parties, but it largely misses the mark. While it may be a slight positive for the TMC, it is unlikely to change the course of the general elections. The BJP will need to do much more to change its narrative and expand its support among regional parties ahead of the polls.

Ultimately, Radhakrishnan's nomination is a classic example of political posturing masquerading as strategic outreach.

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