CP Radhakrishnan sworn in as 15th Vice President of India, PM Modi attends ceremony

Chandrapuram Ponnuswamy Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India on Friday in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. According to the Press Information Bureau (PIB), President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers, senior leaders and former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

PM hails Radhakrishnan's public service

Prime Minister Modi who attended the ceremony, congratulated Radhakrishnan and wished him success in his tenure. In a post on X, he described the new Vice President as "a dedicated public servant" who has devoted his life to nation-building, social service and strengthening democratic values.

Comfortable win in the election

The event was marked by high-profile attendance including Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Opposition leaders. Radhakrishnan took the oath in English. It also saw the first public appearance of Jagdeep Dhankhar since his sudden resignation as Vice President in July.

The election to the office of Vice President was held on September 9, following Dhankhar's resignation citing health reasons. Radhakrishnan, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee, secured 452 votes against Opposition candidate and former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, who polled 300. Out of 767 lawmakers, 752 votes were valid, while 15 were invalid. More than 98 per cent of MPs participated in the poll, as per the Election Commission.

Political career of Radhakrishnan

Born in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, in 1957, Radhakrishnan has had a long association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which he joined at the age of 16. As a BJP candidate, he made his electoral debut in 1998 when he won the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat, which he repeated in 1999.  He later led a 93-day yatra to address issues like river linking, ending untouchability, and combating terrorism while serving as the president of the BJP in Tamil Nadu from 2004 to 2007.  In the past, Radhakrishnan has also held official positions, first as the governor of Jharkhand and then, in 2024, as the governor of Maharashtra.

Dhankhar resigned citing health reasons

Jagdeep Dhankhar, who assumed office in August 2022, resigned in July this year citing medical reasons. While speculation swirled over political factors, he clarified that his decision was based solely on health. As Vice President, Radhakrishnan will serve a five-year term. His primary role is to preside over the Rajya Sabha as its Chairperson. He will also act as President of India in case of a vacancy due to death, resignation or removal of the incumbent.