Opposition parties began serious consultations on Monday to zero in on a vice-presidential candidate with the broadest appeal, not just among themselves but also among non-aligned parties.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh is steering the campaign in support of NDA nominee C.P. Radhakrishnan.

Rajnath’s first order of business was dialling Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin in the hope of not only shoring up the NDA’s adequate numbers in the electoral college comprising members of both houses of Parliament, including the nominated ones, but also driving a wedge in the Opposition camp by playing the Tamil card. By all indications, Stalin did not commit to supporting Maharashtra governor Radhakrishnan.

The INDIA bloc parties had two rounds of discussion on the prospective candidate and several names, including that of DMK Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Siva, were considered.

The DMK is understood to have suggested the name of former Isro director Mylswamy Annadurai, who a year ago had said in an interview: “I am a blend of the Bhagavad Gita and Periyar’s teachings.”

While neutralising the BJP’s effort to corner the DMK on the Tamil plank is a consideration, another view is to field someone from Bihar since the Assembly elections are around the corner.

After a preliminary round of discussions in the morning, the INDIA leaders went into a huddle at Rajya Sabha leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in the evening for another brainstorming session. Later, it was announced that Opposition leaders will meet at Kharge’s residence on Tuesday.

Announcing the meeting, Congress communications in charge Jairam Ramesh was careful to use the word Opposition and not just the INDIA bloc to draw in those parties outside the alliance who are also being targeted by the BJP.

The BJP on Sunday had picked Maharashtra governor and former party stalwart from Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan, as the NDA’s candidate, apparently targeting Assembly polls in the key southern state next year.

BJP sources said that Rajnath had a cordial conversation with Stalin, but the chief minister did not commit his party’s support for the NDA nominee. “Rajnathji spoke to Stalin as part of the BJP’s effort to build a consensus over the Vice-President’s election. He will speak to all Opposition leaders,” a BJP leader said.

Rajnath, known for his across-party line rapport, has been tasked by the ruling side to talk to Opposition leaders and seek their support to make the VP’s election broad-based. The BJP had hoped the DMK would find it difficult to oppose Radhakrishnan’s candidature, given his Tamil roots.

DMK members in Parliament, however, indicated that given their party’s aggressive stand against the BJP-RSS combine over Sanatan Dharma and the Hindi language issues, it may not be politically prudent for their party to back Radhakrishnan.

Speaking to ANI in Chennai, DMK leader T.K.S. Elangovan ruled out their support for the NDA nominee. “He (Radhakrishnan) is an RSS man. He is a BJP candidate. You should view this politically, not as per language…. The BJP is not working for Tamilians. They are against Tamils,” Elangovan said.

Welcoming Radhakrishnan’s candidature, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami said all MPs from Tamil Nadu should support his candidature.

Radhakrishnan belongs to Tamil Nadu, and a Tamilian getting named for the high office is an opportunity for the state, and hence all the MPs, casting aside party-based divide, should come forward and extend support to him, Palaniswami told reporters in Tiruvannamalai.

“I extend my hearty congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior leaders of BJP and its national president J.P. Nadda for selecting a person from Tamil Nadu as NDA’s V-P candidate,” Palaniswami also wrote on X.

In Madurai, former chief minister O. Panneerselvam described Radhakrishnan as an affable leader and said: “As per my conscience, I am welcoming Radhakrishnan’s nomination to the top post of Vice-President.”

K. Annamalai, former Tamil Nadu chief of the BJP, said he was delighted over Radhakrishnan being picked as NDA nominee for the post. “As Vice-President of India, he will ably guide the Rajya Sabha and contribute significantly to our nation’s progress. I extend my sincere felicitations and best wishes to Thiru @CPRGuv avl,” he said in a social media update.

The BJP leaders claimed that Rajnath had also spoken to the BJD leadership in Odisha and the Andhra Pradesh-based YSRCP, and both had assured support to the NDA nominee. The NDA has the numbers to elect the VP candidate, but the BJP leadership is targeting to break into the Opposition ranks, eyeing a big victory.

Radhakrishnan arrived in Delhi on Monday and was received at the airport by Union ministers and Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta. He later met Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the NDA prepared for a show of strength for his nomination filing on Thursday.