C.P. Radhakrishnan Elected 15th Vice President of India with NDA Backing

by T. Vishnudatta Jayaraman September 9, 2025

By T. Vishnudatta Jayaraman September 9, 2025 0 comments 3 minutes read

Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan meeting with PM Narendra Modi soon after the announcement on August 18, 2025, in New Delhi. PHOTO: X@narendramodi

Governor of Maharashtra C.P. Radhakrishnan, backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has been elected as the 15th Vice President of India.

In the Vice Presidential election held on September 9, 2025, Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes in the electoral college, defeating INDIA bloc nominee B. Sudershan Reddy, who received 300 votes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders met Radhakrishnan and congratulated him on his victory.

Congratulating Radhakrishnan on being elected as the Vice President of India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted “Confident that under your leadership, the Vice Presidency and our parliamentary traditions will be strengthened further.”

At an NDA meeting in Delhi on September 8, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the strong support for Radhakrishnan’s candidature. “People believe that he will be an excellent Vice President, who will enrich the office with his wisdom and insights,” he said.

PM Modi had earlier announced Radhakrishnan’s nomination on August 17, praising his long record of service. He noted that Radhakrishnan has distinguished himself with his “dedication, humility and intellect,” and has consistently focused on “community service and empowering the marginalized.”

**Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan filing his nomination on August 20, 2025, in New Delhi. PHOTO: X@narendramodi**

On August 20, Radhakrishnan formally filed his nomination in New Delhi, accompanied by PM Modi, cabinet ministers, party colleagues, and NDA allies.

Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the Governor of Maharashtra on July 31, 2024. Before that, he served as Governor of Jharkhand from February 2023, where he visited all 24 districts within his first four months in office. He also held additional responsibilities as acting Governor of Telangana and as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

With over four decades in public life, Radhakrishnan is a well-known figure in Tamil Nadu politics. His official profile notes that he began as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) swayamsevak and became a state executive committee member of the Bharatiya Janasangh in 1974. By 1996, he was appointed Secretary of the BJP in Tamil Nadu.

Elected to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore in 1998 and again in 1999, Radhakrishnan served in key parliamentary roles, including Chairman of the Standing Committee on Textiles and as a member of the Finance Consultative Committee. In 2004, he addressed the United Nations General Assembly as part of a parliamentary delegation and also took part in India’s first delegation to Taiwan.

Between 2004 and 2007, Radhakrishnan served as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president. During this period, he undertook a 93-day, 19,000-kilometer Ratha Yatra to press for causes including river-linking projects, combating terrorism, implementing a uniform civil code, eradicating untouchability, and tackling drug abuse. His political profile also notes that he led two additional padayatras for different causes.

In 2016, Radhakrishnan was appointed Chairman of the Coir Board in Kochi, where he oversaw record exports of Rs. 2,532 crores. From 2020 to 2022, he was the BJP’s All-India in-charge for Kerala.

Born on May 4, 1957, in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration.