Pawar underlined that when Hemant Soren—then Chief Minister from a tribal community—visited the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Radhakrishnan, he was arrested by central agencies within the premises, despite his plea to be taken into custody outside. “A person who wields power in such a manner cannot be supported,” Pawar asserted, signalling deep ethical objections to extending support to Radhakrishnan.
Fadnavis had reached out to Pawar seeking backing for Radhakrishnan, now Governor of Maharashtra and the NDA’s pick for the vice‑presidency. Pawar’s response was unequivocal: his party cannot vote for a candidate whose conduct, in his view, conflicts with democratic principles.
The opposition INDIA bloc has nominated former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy. Pawar reaffirmed unity within the bloc, expressing confidence that “institutional dignity” must be preserved, even if electoral numbers lean in the NDA’s favour.
Pawar noted that while he is aware of the NDA’s numerical strength in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, principle outweighs arithmetic. “We know we don’t have the numbers … but we are not worried,” he said, stressing that the bloc remains steadfast behind Reddy.
He also emphasised the broader significance of the vice‑presidential contest, describing it as pivotal to safeguarding institutional integrity and the opposition’s standing in India’s democratic framework.
The vice‑presidential election has been scheduled for 9 September, following the resignation of the previous vice president on 21 July. Radhakrishnan had been serving as governor of Jharkhand from February 2023 until July 2024, before being appointed to the same role in Maharashtra.