NDA-backed candidate defeats INDIA bloc nominee Justice B Sudershan Reddy by 152 votes; total of 98.20 per cent voter turnout was recorded
CP Radhakrishnan
National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-backed CP Radhakrishnan was elected as the 15th Vice-President on Tuesday. Radhakrishnan defeated INDIA bloc nominee Justice B Sudershan Reddy by 152 votes. A total of 98.20 per cent voter turnout was found in the VP elections, wherein 767 MPs cast their vote out of 788.
The NDA nominee received 452 first preference votes whereas the INDIA bloc candidate Justice B Sudershan Reddy received 300 first preference votes. Fifteen votes were considered invalid. A total of 13 MPs abstained from voting. The list includes seven MPs from Biju Janata Dal, four from Bharath Rashtra Samithi, one MP from Shiromani Akali Dal and one independent MP.
“NDA nominee and Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan got 452 first preference votes. He has been elected as the Vice President of India... Opposition’s vice-presidential candidate Justice Sudershan Reddy secured 300 first preference votes,” Rajya Sabha general secretary PC Mody said in his press conference.
Earlier on Tuesday, top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and others, cast their vote in the vice-presidential elections. The VP seat has been vacant since July 21, 2025, as Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his position, citing health reasons.
Who is he?
Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was serving as the 24th Governor of Maharashtra from July 31, 2024, before being announced as the VP candidate.
He previously served as the Governor of Jharkhand from February 2023 to July 2024. He also held additional charge as the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry between March and July 2024. Radhakrishnan had earlier also served as the Governor of Jharkhand, Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.
The BJP stalwart from Tamil Nadu has achieved a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and became the state committee member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the BJP’s precursor, in 1974. Before the Jan Sangh, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In 1996, Radhakrishnan was appointed as the BJP Tamil Nadu secretary, following which he was elected as a Lok Sabha member from Coimbatore in 1998 and reelected again in 1999.
During his tenure as MP, he served as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee and was also a member of the Parliamentary Committee for Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and the Consultative Committee for Finance. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Special Committee investigating the Stock Exchange Scam.
From 2004 to 2007, he served as the Tamil Nadu state president. He was appointed as the Chairman of the Coir Board, Kochi, which comes under the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, from 2016 to 2020, and held the position for four years. Radhakrishnan was also the All India in Charge of the BJP for Kerala from 2020 to 2022.
Moral and political defeat for bjp, says Congress
The Congress on Tuesday said the Opposition stood united for the election with a “most respectable” performance and claimed that the BJP’s arithmetical victory is both “moral and political defeat”. “Its performance has undeniably been most respectable. Its joint candidate Justice (retd.) B Sudershan Reddy secured 40 per cent of the vote. The BJP’s arithmetical victory is really both a moral and political defeat. The ideological battle continues undiminished,” Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge extended best wishes to Radhakrishnan, while also expressing sincere gratitude to B Sudershan Reddy for being the “united Opposition’s joint candidate” and for his spirited and principled fight. “This was more than an election; it was a battle of ideology, reaffirming that governments with authoritarian tendencies must be checked to protect our Constitution and democracy,” said Kharge.
Voices
Narendra modi, Prime Minister
“Congratulations to Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji on winning the 2025 vice-presidential election. 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.”
Amit Shah, Union Home Minister
CP Radhakrishnan will help the country in bringing out the best in its 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.”
Droupadi Murmu, President
“Congratulations to Shri CP Radhakrishnan on being elected as the Vice-President of India! Your decades of rich experience in public life will contribute significantly to the nation’s progress.”
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