Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday introduced the NDA's vice-presidential nominee, C.P. Radhakrishnan, to alliance MPs, saying the "very simple person" from Tamil Nadu was interested in “sports” and not in “playing political games”.
“We have been friends for more than 40 years. We have been friends since our hair was black. Radhakrishnanji is a very simple person. He is interested in sports and not in playing political games,” Modi was quoted by MPs as having said at the closed-door meeting.
Modi was introducing the NDA's official candidate at a meeting of ruling alliance MPs held in an auditorium at the Parliament complex on Tuesday morning. He said Radhakrishnan was a man of “integrity” and urged the Opposition parties to help elect him unanimously.
Modi’s remark, apparently seeking to give a loyalty certificate to the NDA’s candidate, was seen by some BJP legislators as an oblique reference to Jagdeep Dhankhar, who quit as VP recently. These legislators suggested Dhankhar may have played “political games”.
Dhankhar had abruptly stepped down as VP on the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament on July 21, citing health reasons. Sources, however, indicated that he was compelled to resign after his move to admit an Opposition-sponsored notice to move an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma embarrassed the government. Privately, ministers had accused Dhankhar of conspiring with sections of the Congress.
Officially, no one from the ruling side has spoken so far about what led Dhankhar, widely seen as loyal to the government, to step down suddenly. Dhankhar, too, has since remained silent.