Kashmir, September 10, 2025 — Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Governor of Maharashtra, was elected the 15th Vice President of India on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, securing a commanding 452 votes against the opposition INDIA bloccandidate, former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, who polled 300 votes. The election, held at the New Parliament Building, followed the unexpected resignation of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, 2025, and marks a significant milestone for Radhakrishnan, the third Tamil Nadu leader to hold this prestigious office after Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and R Venkataraman.The 67-year-old RSS veteran, known for his deep-rooted connection to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghsince his teenage years, brings a wealth of political and administrative experience to the role. Radhakrishnan, often described as a “Pachai Tamizhan” (true-blue Tamil), secured 452 of the 752 valid votes cast by the electoral college, which comprises 781 Members of Parliament from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. A total of 767 MPs voted, with 15 ballots deemed invalid, setting the majority mark at 376.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, leveraged its parliamentary strength, bolstered by support from parties like the YSR Congress, to ensure Radhakrishnan’s victory, despite 14 MPs, including those from Biju Janata Dal (BJD)and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), abstaining.Radhakrishnan’s political journey began in the 1970s with the Bharatiya Janasangh, the precursor to the BJP, and he rose to prominence as a two-term Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure. He served as the BJP Tamil Nadu president from 2003 to 2006, leading a 19,000-km Rath Yatra to advocate for issues like river linking and combating terrorism. His gubernatorial roles in Jharkhand, Telangana, Puducherry, and Maharashtra further underscored his administrative acumen.
As Vice President, Radhakrishnan will also serve as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a role where his experience is expected to enhance parliamentary discourse.Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan, praising his dedication to public service and constitutional values, stating, “His life has always been devoted to serving society and empowering the poor and marginalised. I am confident he will be an outstanding VP.” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, while extending congratulations, urged Radhakrishnan to uphold parliamentary traditions and ensure fairness for the opposition. Former Vice President Dhankhar also issued a written statement congratulating his successor.The opposition, led by the INDIA bloc, claimed unity with a 100% turnout of its 315 MPs, as stated by Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, but faced a setback with Radhakrishnan’s comfortable margin, attributed to cross-voting and the NDA’s numerical advantage. Radhakrishnan is set to take the oath as Vice President on September 12, 2025, marking a new chapter in India’s political landscape.
