Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, who has long been 'Ajatshatru' (enemy-less) in the politics of Tamil Nadu, has kept both the DMK and AIADMK on good terms even though he is staunchly rooted in the RSS. Now as he begins his vice-presidential crusade, he is highlighting the motto of 'cooperative federalism,' maintaining that a healthy democracy relies on Center-state harmony.
In a letter to MPs preceding the vice-presidential poll, Radhakrishnan, also referred to as the 'Vajpayee of Coimbatore,' emphasized his Tamil origins and spoke of respect for strong men of his state, such as former Congress president and chief minister of Madras presidency K Kamaraj. He also mentioned some Congress leaders and former Presidents, such as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, as having inspired his vision.
But his future vision remains anchored in the ideological plank of the RSS. He welcomed key initiatives such as the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A as steps towards a united and strong India, while also emphasizing that he is "committed to strengthening cooperative federalism."
Radhakrishnan joined the Jana Sangh at the age of 17 and worked with the RSS in Tamil Nadu. He won the Coimbatore parliamentary seat in 1998 and 1999 but faced defeats in 2004, 2009, and 2014.
In 1998, he contested on a BJP ticket in alliance with the AIADMK and maintained good relations with the late J Jayalalithaa. The following year, he won the same seat when the BJP was aligned with the DMK.
With the President of the East, the Prime Minister from the North and West, and now the Vice President-elect from the South, the political messaging of the ruling alliance is straightforward. Post-Jagdeep Dhankar's term, the BJP has chosen a leader who belongs to the same ideological camp and can keep the House in order with political maturity without being excessively combative.
The Vice President-elect is working towards a doctorate on the collapse of communism and has also earlier embarked on a 19,000-km yatra through Tamil Nadu to campaign for a Uniform Civil Code. He has also emphasized social justice as one of his priorities in the future.
A leader from the powerful Gounder community of Tamil Nadu and an OBC, Radhakrishnan has committed to seeing farmers' problems resolved through introspective debate and policy initiatives.
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