CP Radhakrishnan elected as India’s 15th Vice President

BJP veteran and former Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan was elected the Vice President of India on Tuesday, defeating Opposition INDIA bloc nominee Justice (retd) B. Sudershan Reddy in a largely one-sided contest.

Radhakrishnan, 68, secured 542 votes, while Reddy, fielded as a symbolic challenger by the Opposition, polled 300 votes. With the ruling NDA commanding a comfortable majority, the outcome was widely anticipated.

A lifelong member of the RSS and a two-time MP from Coimbatore, Radhakrishnan has been known for his conciliatory style of politics, earning the moniker “Vajpayee of Coimbatore.” 

His elevation, political observers say, signals the BJP’s intent to deepen its influence in southern India, particularly Tamil Nadu, which heads for polls next year.

The choice of Radhakrishnan also highlights the BJP’s strategy of OBC consolidation, as he belongs to the Gounder community, influential in western Tamil Nadu. 

His election marks a break from his predecessor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s diverse political past, instead reaffirming BJP’s preference for loyalty to the Sangh Parivar.

As Vice President, Radhakrishnan will assume the role of Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, where his soft-spoken demeanor and long experience across party lines are expected to shape the tenor of proceedings.

For the Opposition, Sudershan Reddy’s candidacy was intended to underscore ideological resistance, with INDIA bloc leaders labeling the BJP “anti-Constitution.”

--Agencies