CP Radhakrishnan elected as India’s 15th vice-president, defeats Sudershan Reddy

Chandrapuram Ponnuswamy Radhakrishnan, the National Democratic Alliance’s nominee, has been elected as the 15th Vice-President of India. He defeated Opposition candidate and senior advocate Sudershan Reddy in a contest that saw an overwhelming turnout of lawmakers. The Election Commission declared the results on Tuesday evening, confirming Radhakrishnan’s decisive victory. He received 452 votes, well above the majority mark of 377. His rival, senior advocate Sudershan Reddy, secured 300 votes. Out of 767 lawmakers who cast their ballots, 752 votes were deemed valid, while 15 were invalid. This gave Radhakrishnan a clear edge, reflecting the NDA’s numerical advantage in Parliament.

High voter participation in poll

Polling was conducted between 10 am and 5 pm in Parliament House. According to Rajya Sabha Secretary-General PC Mody, who served as the returning officer, more than 98 per cent of Members of Parliament voted.

Thirteen lawmakers, including those from the Biju Janata Dal, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Shiromani Akali Dal and a few Independents, abstained. Their decision was seen as an attempt to signal political distance from both the NDA and the INDIA bloc.

Why the election was held

The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college comprising 788 members—543 from the Lok Sabha and 245 from the Rajya Sabha, including 12 nominated members of the Upper House.
This year’s contest became necessary after Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped down abruptly in July, creating a vacancy in the second-highest constitutional office.

Radhakrishnan’s political journey

Chandrapuram Ponnuswamy Radhakrishnan, born on 20 October 1957 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, has been a long-time member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and a prominent figure in the BJP. He led the party in Tamil Nadu as state president from 2004 to 2007.
Radhakrishnan has also served as Governor of Jharkhand and was appointed Governor of Maharashtra in July 2024. Beyond politics, he has a background in sports, having excelled in table tennis and long-distance running during his college years.

Duties of the Vice-President

As Vice-President, Radhakrishnan will hold office for five years. His primary responsibility will be to preside over the Rajya Sabha as its Chairperson. He will also act as the President of India if the position falls vacant due to death, resignation or removal.