New Delhi: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, has been elected as the new Vice President of India with a decisive margin. Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes, defeating opposition nominee Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy, who managed 300 votes.
A total of 767 MPs cast their votes, of which 752 were valid and 15 were declared invalid. With 781 eligible MPs (after accounting for vacant seats), 13 lawmakers abstained from voting—including seven from BJD, four from BRS, one from Shiromani Akali Dal, and one independent.
Announcing the results, Rajya Sabha Secretary General P.C. Mody said, “NDA’s candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan has received 452 first-preference votes and has been elected as the Vice President of India.”
The election, held at Parliament House from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., saw prominent leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi casting their ballots.
This election was necessitated after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the post on July 21, 2025, citing health reasons.
Key Contributions
- Parliamentary Roles: During his tenure in the Lok Sabha, he chaired the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertakings and served on committees related to finance and PSU oversight.
- Anti-Corruption Oversight: He was a member of the special parliamentary committee probing the Stock Exchange scam.
- State Leadership: As BJP’s Tamil Nadu President (2004–2007), he led a remarkable 93-day, 19,000 km Rath Yatra to strengthen the party’s grassroots presence.
- Economic Growth Driver: Between 2016 and 2020, he headed the Coir Board under the MSME Ministry, helping India’s coir exports reach an all-time high of ₹2,532 crore.
- Strategic Party Role: From 2020 to 2022, he was the BJP’s in-charge for Kerala.
A Trusted BJP Veteran
With decades of political, administrative, and organizational experience, C.P. Radhakrishnan is seen as a leader who combines grassroots activism with governance expertise. His election as Vice President reflects NDA’s parliamentary strength and his personal reputation as a loyal and seasoned BJP leader.
From RSS shakhas in Tamil Nadu to Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Vice Presidential office, Radhakrishnan’s journey underscores the rise of a leader shaped by discipline, perseverance, and political conviction.
