BJP’s Southern Gamble or Congress’s Self-Goal?
If politics is a game of moves and countermoves, the BJP has once again demonstrated its ability to turn every election, even one as ceremonial as the Vice Presidency, into a statement of strength. And unless Congress finds a way to reframe the contest, this nomination will be remembered not only as a BJP masterstroke, but also as yet another self-goal by the opposition.
The Congress-led INDIA bloc, in fielding Justice Reddy, may have sought to emphasize integrity and constitutionalism, but risks ceding emotional and symbolic ground to the BJP. In the final analysis, what was meant to be a dignified contest of ideas may turn into a textbook example of BJP’s political acumen and the opposition’s lack of strategic imagination. NDA’s numbers assure Radhakrishnan of a comfortable victory; also who seizes the political narrative. In this clash of perception, the BJP has laid out a carefully designed script, while the Congress-led INDIA bloc risks being cast as reactionary, divided, and unprepared.
The NDA holds a comfortable edge in the Vice-Presidential Electoral College. Opposition parties know Reddy cannot win. By nominating him, Congress appears to be fighting for symbolism, but symbolism is exactly where BJP has already seized the advantage. With Radhakrishnan framed as a moment of pride for Tamils, the DMK and its allies face a dilemma. To oppose him outright risks being branded as indifferent to Tamil representation at the highest constitutional levels. To support him, however, would fracture opposition unity.
Either way, Congress is placed on the back foot. While Justice Reddy brings judicial gravitas, he lacks political recall among the masses. The BJP, by contrast, has picked someone with both regional identity and political service to his name. As a result, the INDIA bloc risks appearing elitist, fighting with abstract principles while BJP connects with emotion and identity. On the other side, the INDIA bloc has fielded Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy, a respected former Supreme Court judge and former Lokayukta of Goa. In theory, the choice of a legal luminary projects integrity and an emphasis on constitutional propriety. Yet, in practice, it risks being a tactical misstep for several reasons.
The nomination of Maharashtra Governor and veteran Tamil Nadu leader C. P. Radhakrishnan as the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) candidate for the Vice Presidency has set off ripples across India’s political spectrum. More than a constitutional formality, this choice has all the makings of a political statement; a chess move by the BJP that simultaneously courts southern aspirations, tightens parliamentary control, and puts the opposition on the defensive. C. P. Radhakrishnan is no ordinary nominee. A quiet and controversy-free figure in Indian politics, he is widely respected across the aisle.
Twice elected from Coimbatore to the Lok Sabha, a long-serving party organizer in Tamil Nadu, and more recently a Governor, his political life has been marked not by firebrand speeches or confrontations, but by steady, low key service. Nominating him, the BJP has tapped into three powerful strands of symbolism. Tamil Representation at the top for decades, Tamil Nadu has been a state where the BJP has struggled to find electoral traction. Radhakrishnan, a son of the soil from the powerful Kongu Vellalar Gounder community, the BJP is signalling respect for Tamil pride and representation. At a time when Dravidian politics continues to dominate the state, this nomination places the BJP in a softer, more inclusive light.
The BJP has shown time and again its ability to use high constitutional offices as tools of political messaging. In 2017, nominating Ram Nath Kovind as President was a clear outreach to Dalits. In 2022, Draupadi Murmu’s election as the first tribal woman President was both historic and politically astute. Now, Radhakrishnan’s nomination fits neatly into this pattern the South, especially Tamil Nadu, is the new frontier.
The BJP has turned a constitutional requirement into a political message that it values southern identity, clean politics, and inclusive representation.
For the ordinary voter, Vice Presidential elections are not front-page concerns. Yet the political theatre surrounding them matters because it feeds into broader perceptions as Strategic & Inclusive. By picking a Tamilian leader with a clean record, BJP projects itself as forward-looking, respectful of diversity, and strategically wise. By struggling to rally partners and appearing unsure about how to respond, Congress risks reinforcing the image of being perpetually on the defensive.
Radhakrishnan’s tenure in Maharashtra and earlier gubernatorial roles have been marked by restraint. Even opposition leaders in Tamil Nadu once described him as “a good man in the wrong party.” That bipartisan goodwill makes it politically difficult for the opposition to attack his candidature without appearing petty.
The Vice President is also the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. With Radhakrishnan in the chair, the BJP ensures a calm but firm presiding officer, reducing legislative deadlocks and disruptions in the Upper House. This institutional gain is critical as the government eyes bold reforms in the second half of its tenure. As legislative battles intensify on issues like economic reforms, national security, and federal powers, a Vice President who can steer the Rajya Sabha without constant confrontation strengthens the government’s hand. The Congress, by contrast, will have to wage its fights within rules presided over by a man chosen for his composure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for a consensus around Radhakrishnan calling him humble, controversy free, and widely respected, adds moral pressure on the opposition. The BJP is positioning itself not merely as a majoritarian powerhouse, but as a party that elevates voices from across regions and communities.
The early support extended by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) only strengthens this perception. By rallying southern allies and appealing to Tamil pride, the BJP has ensured that the Vice-Presidential contest will be read not in terms of numbers, but in terms of symbolism; and symbolism is where the BJP excels.
In essence, what was meant to be an ideological counter-narrative may well turn into a self-goal. Instead of cornering BJP, the opposition may end up exposing its own contradictions.
