Vice-presidential polls: Sudershan's candidature pushes Telugu parties into a tight corner

While the TDP and Jana Sena have no choice but to support NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan, other regional parties YSRCP and BRS, face a difficult decision whether to support a fellow Telugu or a Tamilian.

Hyderabad: The I.N.D.I.A. bloc's selection of former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, a Telugu, as its vice presidential candidate has placed Telugu parties in a tight spot.

While the TDP and Jana Sena key BJP allies in Andhra Pradesh have no choice but to support NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan, other regional parties YSRCP and BRS, which remain unaligned with either coalition, face a difficult decision whether to support a fellow Telugu or a Tamilian.

Notably, YSRCP, which holds 11 seats across both houses of Parliament, conveyed its intent to support the NDA candidate to BJP leadership only on Monday. The party has consistently backed the NDA in constitutional post elections, previously supporting Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu for President, and M Venkaiah Naidu another Telugu leader and Jagdeep Dhankhar for Vice President.

"We've already conveyed our intent to support Radhakrishnan to the BJP leaders in Delhi. We didn't expect that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc would field a Telugu person. I don't think the decision taken by our leader Jagan would be reversed," a top YSRCP leader told DH.

Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh reiterated TDP's unwavering support for the NDA candidate, making the party's position clear on the VP polls.

"No ambiguity—only warmth, respect and resolve. The NDA stands united," Lokesh declared in a social media post on Tuesday shortly after I.N.D.I.A. bloc announced Justice Sudershan Reddy's candidature.

Along with other TDP MPs, Lokesh, currently in Delhi, met Radhakrishnan on Monday evening and pledged the party's support.

The TDP and Jana Sena together hold 21 members in the Lok Sabha, with N Chandrababu Naidu's party having four seats in the Rajya Sabha.

Also YSRCP supremo and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy recently criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning why he remained silent about alleged "vote theft" in Andhra Pradesh and Arvind Kejriwal's electoral loss.

During a press conference in Tadepalli, Jagan accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of maintaining communication with Rahul Gandhi through Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, suggesting this connection explains Gandhi's silence on alleged atrocities in Andhra Pradesh.

Adding another layer of complexity, the Congress in Andhra Pradesh is led by Jagan's sister, Y S Sharmila, who has become his bitter political adversary.

Meanwhile, BRS Rajya Sabha member KR Suresh Reddy stated that party supremo and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao will decide whom to support.

Despite Sudershan Reddy being Telugu, the BRS finds itself in direct electoral competition with both Congress and BJP in Telangana, complicating any decision based solely on regional identity.