Rajnath, Fadnavis called Uddhav to seek support for NDA V-P candidate: Raut

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and sought support for the NDA's vice-presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan, party leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has fielded Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan as its vice-presidential candidate, while the opposition INDIA bloc has fielded former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut, a Rajya Sabha member of the Sena (UBT), said, "Rajnath (Singh) and Devendra Fadnavis called up Uddhav Thackeray and they requested for voting (in favour of Radhakrishnan). They must have done it to others as well. It's their job."  He, however, did not elaborate when the calls were made to Thackeray. Radhakrishnan, a seasoned BJP leader from Tamil Nadu with an RSS background, filed his nomination papers as the NDA's vice-presidential candidate on Wednesday, while INDIA bloc candidate Reddy did so on Thursday.

The move to pick Reddy as a joint candidate of the Opposition has made the vice-presidential election a South versus South contest. The elections to the second highest office is scheduled to take place on September 9.

The electoral college for the vice-presidential elections comprises members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Nominated members of the Upper House of Parliament are also eligible to cast their votes. The effective strength of the electoral college is 781 and the majority mark is 391.