Before the September 9 vice presidential election, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis initiated dialogue with political rivals Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar, necessitated after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned suddenly on health grounds. Fadnavis revealed he has consigned to both of them to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, state governor CP Radhakrishnan.
Diverse Reactions from Thackeray and Pawar
Even as the overture does serve as an attempt at consensus, the replies clearly indicate the political divide. According to Fadnavis, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray assured him that the matter would be discussed internally before a final call is made.
VIDEO | Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) says, “I spoke to Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar regarding the Vice-Presidential election, which is non-partisan. I requested them to support the Maharashtra Governor, who is also a voter from the state. Uddhav Thackeray… pic.twitter.com/HETzVmpRY7
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 22, 2025
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In contrast, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar made it clear that his party would stand with the Opposition, which has put forward former Supreme Court judge Sudershan Reddy as its candidate.
Contest Between Radhakrishnan and Reddy
NDA has fielded CP Radhakrishnan, who is holding the post of governor for Maharashtra, indicating the party’s endeavor toward portraying such a seasoned and widely respected leader for the second-highest constitutional position. On the other side, the INDIA bloc has united behind Justice Sudershan Reddy, banking on his reputation as a jurist to strengthen its opposition narrative.
Choosing the next vice president of India does not require public votes, but rather a selection from an electoral college consisting of all members from both houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. With the BJP leading NDA in numerical strength in the Lok Sabha and considerable presence in Rajya Sabha, its candidate enters the contest with a very strong prospect. However, the stand taken by smaller parties like Shiv Sena (UBT) could have symbolic importance in shaping the political equations in Maharashtra.
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Currently, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha, while the NCP (SP) has eight and two respectively. Though not enough to influence the final outcome, their choices carry political weight in the state’s evolving landscape.
Beyond the Numbers: Symbolism Matters
Of course, the NDA is dead sure to sweep the elections; it nevertheless gives an interesting insight into the changing alliances within Maharashtra. Fadnavis’s public call to adversaries reinforces the value of optics in national politics when general elections are not far away. Whether the party of Thackeray will extend support or align itself with the Opposition could frame future collaborations and rivalries in the state.
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