'Jagan's Betrayal Won't Be Forgotten': Manickam Tagore Slams YSRCP's Support For C.P. Radhakrishnan

New Delhi: Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday trained guns on former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy after Yuvajana Sramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Party extended support to the candidature of NDA's CP Radhakrishnan. Tagore accused Reddy of "surrendering" instead of standing with the democratic forces. 

"History won't forget Jagan Mohan Reddy's betrayal. By supporting an RSS-backed candidate for Vice President, he has chosen fear of CBI cases over the interests of Andhra Pradesh. This is not about strategy. This is about surrender--surrendering to Modi-Babu's pressure, instead of standing with democratic forces," Tagore posted on X.

He further attacked the YSR Congress Party founder for placing his "personal survival above people's mandate". Tagore said that Jagan will be remembered as someone who sold his spine to escape CBI courtrooms.

"Jagan's compromise today will be remembered as the day he placed his personal survival above people's mandate. Andhra deserved courage. He chose cowardice. When leaders bend before Delhi out of fear, they betray the people who trusted them. Jagan will be remembered not as a fighter, but as a politician who sold his spine to escape CBI courtrooms," the Congress MP said.

The voting for the 15th Vice Presidential election began on Tuesday morning, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi exercising his franchise along with other prominent ministers and MPs. The counting of votes will also take place this evening. PM Modi was the first to cast his vote.

The election comes 50 days after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post as the Vice President on July 21, citing health reasons. Both the BJP-led NDA and opposition parties held mock polls ahead of the crucial day earlier, telling the MPs to be cautious in exercising their franchise lest their vote be invalid.

It seems that NDA's candidate CP Radhakrishnan has an edge with 427 MPs, well above the majority mark of 391, supporting him for the post. In the Lok Sabha, Radhakrishnan is expected to receive 293 votes, and 134 votes are likely to be cast in his favour in the Rajya Sabha.

Joint opposition candidate Reddy is backed by 354 MPs, with 249 in the lower house and 105 in the upper house of the Parliament. Currently, the Parliament comprises 781 members, including 542 in the Lok Sabha with one seat vacant and 239 in the Rajya Sabha with five seats vacant.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) decided to abstain from voting in the Vice Presidential elections. Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) will not take part in the Vice Presidential poll. Moreover, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced that it will "boycott" the Vice Presidential election, given that people in Punjab are "upset and angry" over no help from the central or state government.

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