C.P. Radhakrishnan Elected Vice-President of India

On September 9, 2025, C.P. Radhakrishnan was elected 17 th Vice-President of India defeating the Opposition candidate Justice B. Sudershan Reddy by a margin of 152 votes. The candidate of the NDA, Radhakrishnan, won 452 first-preferential votes, and Reddy got 300. It was a high turnout with the Parliament members having a 98.2% voter turnout. These figures indicate a triumph of the nationalistic ideology as Radhakrishnan argued in terms of victory despite some cross-voting and the moral victory by the Opposition.

Key Points in Detail

1. Election Process/Results.

• Electoral College: Consists of 788 electors (consisting of both members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha).
• Votes Cast: 767 voters turned out, 14 abstentions and 15 invalid votes.
• Votes of Radhakrishnan: 452 first-preferential votes.
• Reddy Votes: Reddy had voted 300 in favor of a candidate of the Opposition, Justice B. Sudershan Reddy.
• Margin: The two candidates were separated by 152 votes.

2. Cross-Voting and Claims

• The NDA candidate was also reported to have got more votes and 15-40 Opposition members crossed over to vote in favor of Radhakrishnan.
• The Opposition nevertheless insisted that the outcome of their joint candidate was a moral victory, having received 40 percent of the votes, a contrast to the 26 percent in 2022 Vice-Presidential election.
• BJP MPs alleged that 15 Opposition MPs supported Radhakrishnan that was denied by Congress.

3. Radhakrishnan’s Background

• AlsoKnown as the Vajpayee of Coimbatore because of his friendly approachable style and political neutrality.
• BJP/RSS career: Another leadership position BJP/RSS career Joined RSS as a teenager, ascending to leadership of BJP in Tamil Nadu (20042007).
• Lok Sabha Term: Elected to the Lok Sabha (1998, 1999) twice in Coimbatore.
• Governor: Governor of Jharkhand (since 2023) and Maharashtra (since 2024) with charges in Telangana and Puducherry.
• Reputation: As with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Known to cut across political boundaries even though Tamil Nadu is a comparatively weak state of BJP.

4. Political Relevance and role to play.

• Choice of NDA: Perceived to be a sure bet to be a Vice-President because of his non-party image, administrative experience and his track record in bridge construction in Tamil Nadu.
• Expected to serve a unifying purpose in Rajya Sabha and provide smooth operations of the Parliament, in accordance with constitutional values.
• Political rhetoric: In a wider ideological victory, his victory was said to have been a win of nationalism and development.

5. Political Leaders' Response.

• PM Narendra Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan and commended his service to society and empowerment of the marginalised.
• Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge congratulated Radhakrishnan but pointed out the moral victory of the Opposition.
• Justice Reddy took the result with good grace and emphasized the value of dialogue, dissent and involvement in a democracy.

Conclusion

The election of C.P. Radhakrishnan as the Vice-President of India is a triumph of the NDA and an embodiment of a nationalistic vision which has been employed to shape contemporary political discussions. Radhakrishnan has the personality of affability and conciliatory which is likely to bring about good management of the Rajya Sabha to provide a sense of decorum and inclusivity to the parliament. He is a very important political figure in India because of his background and his crossing the party lines. In the case of UPSC, his election has been of particular interest in the field of political leadership, electing procedures, and the mechanics of national politics