Stalin says ‘wearing Tamil Mask to seek votes old trick’, Chandrababu says ‘Telugu pride irrelevant in this context’; Basically, Naidu sees no gain in supporting a candidate from the INDIA bloc when the NDA clearly has the numbers while Stalin is not impressed by the BJP pitching a Tamil face when he is dealing with broader actions seen as anti-Tamil like “over Hindi imposition, NEET, federal issues etc.
NDIA Bloc’s attempt to create bring together prominent South regional parties, especially from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, to rally behind its Vice-President candidate, retired judge Sudershan Reddy, is not working and so is the BJP-led NDA’s pitch for DMK support for Tamil’ nominee C P Radhakrishnan
While Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu criticised the INDIA alliance for fielding a candidate for the Vice President post despite knowing the NDA candidate had a clear majority and rejected demands to support Reddy, saying “Telugu pride was irrelevant in this context”, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin also dismissed the BJP’s attempt to pitch its nominee C P Radhakrishnan as a Tamil candidate.
“Wearing a Tamil mask to seek vote is an old trick which will not work in Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said in a meeting held to mobilise support for Sudershan Reddy in Chennai on Sunday. Reddy was in Chennai to meet DMK and allies and seek support.
“Individuals are only images. It is ideology that guides politics. After doing everything against Tamil Nadu, BJP cannot expect support by projecting a Tamil face,” Stalin was quoted as saying
“Not only as a DMK leader but also as a representative of the alliance, I can say Reddy is the most qualified for the Vice- President’s post. When BJP is destroying Constitutional values, we need someone who defended them throughout his career,” he said.
Chandrababu Naidu, in turn, accused the INDIA Bloc of “doing politics by fielding a candidate with no chances of winning.”
In Delhi for a courtesy visit to NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan, Naidu rejected demands to support the INDIA Bloc candidate from Telugu states, saying that Telugu pride was irrelevant in this context.
“The question of Telugu Pride doesn’t arise in this situation. TDP is part of NDA before the elections, and supporting another candidate doesn’t arise
“We’re part of the NDA, and there are NDA governments in the state and at the Centre. Is it ethical to expect our support for a non-NDA candidate?” he questioned, underlining his commitment to ethics and relations with the NDA.
Naidu said when PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, TDP supported his candidature as an MP despite being anti-Congress. If there were winning chances, it would have been better to field a Telugu candidate.
Southern parties reject symbolic gestures
Basically, TDP’s Naidu sees no gain in supporting a candidate from the INDIA bloc when the NDA clearly has the numbers while DMK’s Stalin is not impressed by the BJP pitching a Tamil face like Radhakrishnan when he is dealing with broader actions seen as anti-Tamil like “over Hindi imposition, NEET, federal issues etc.”
“TDP is a part of the NDA and breaking ranks for a symbolic vote would send mixed signals. Naidu is positioning himself as a pragmatic leader, not swayed by emotional calls for ‘Telugu pride’. For DMK, the BJP’s centralising tendencies as a threat to state autonomy. Both are playing a long game, not just reacting to the VP race but laying groundwork for state elections and 2029 general elections,” say analysts
