CP Radhakrishnan elected as the 15th Vice President of India

CP Radhakrishnan has been elected as the 15th Vice President of India on Tuesday.

Radhakrishnan was contesting against former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy. Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes against Reddy’s 300, while 14 MPs abstained, according to media reports.

The elections were held after the then VP Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned unexpectedly, on July 21 citing health reasons. With the NDA’s comfortable majority in the electoral college, Radhakrishnan’s win was expected.

Who is CP Radhakrishnan?

CP Radhakrishnan hails from Tamil Nadu. He has been a lifelong member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since his teenage years. Radhakrishnan rose through the BJP ranks in Tamil Nadu, a state where the party has historically struggled.

He won the Lok Sabha election from his Coimbatore constituency twice in 1998 and 1999. He is popularly called by his nickname “Vajpayee of Coimbatore.”

Between 1998 and 2004, Radhakrishnan served on the Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Undertakings. He was also part of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Finance during that time. He also served as BJP’s party presidency for Tamil Nadu from 2004 to 2006.

Under the NDA government, he was appointed Governor of Jharkhand in 2023. In July last year, he became the Governor of Maharashtra, a position he was serving in before being elected

As Vice President, Radhakrishnan will serve as chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

Leaders extend greetings to CP Radhakrishnan on social media

Following his election, PM Narendra Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan on his appointment in a post on X.

"His life has always been devoted to serving society and empowering the poor and marginalised. I am confident that he will be an outstanding VP, who will strengthen our Constitutional values and enhance Parliamentary discourse," PM Modi wrote.

Union home minister Amit Shah also penned a post on X wishing success to Radhakrishnan during his tenure.

“I firmly believe that your sagacity as a leader who has risen from the grassroots of the society and profound knowledge about administration will help us in bringing out the best in our parliamentary democracy to serve the marginalised. I extend my warmest wishes to you for your journey as the custodian of the sanctity of the Upper House," Shah wrote in his post on X.

Echoing Shah's views, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari extended congratulations to Radhakrishnan.

"His long-standing public service, commitment to democratic values, and vision for the nation will undoubtedly enrich the august office he now assumes, while also strengthening India’s voice both within the country and on global platforms," Gadkari wrote in his post on X.