The ruling National Democratic Alliance on Sunday named Maharashtra Governor Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, a seasoned BJP leader belonging to a key OBC caste from Tamil Nadu with an RSS background, as its vice-presidential candidate.
BJP president J P Nadda made the announcement following a meeting of the party's parliamentary board, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and consultation with the party's allies.
Nadda appealed for unanimous election of Radhakrishnan (67), an OBC leader and two-time former member of Lok Sabha from Coimbatore, to the constitutional position, saying BJP leaders had spoken to the opposition parties over the last week and will reach out to them again.
Opposition leaders had told the BJP interlocutors that they can make up their mind only after being told of the ruling alliance's nominee, Nadda said, adding that his party will speak to them to reach a consensus over Radhakrishnan, whom he lauded as a "statesman".
In Radhakrishnan, the BJP has trusted a leader with a proven organsiational and ideological commitment, a far cry from its choice of his predecessor, Jagdeep Dhankhar.
In his reaction, Modi said on X, "Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has distinguished himself with his dedication, humility and intellect. During the various positions he has held, he has always focused on community service and empowering the marginalised. He has done extensive work at the grassroots in Tamil Nadu." The prime minister expressed confidence that Radhakrishnan will be an inspiring vice-president, who is the ex officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and will play a crucial role in handling the government's agenda in Parliament.
Reacting to the announcement of his name as the NDA's vice-presidential nominee, Radhakrishnan thanked leaders from the BJP and its allies, including Modi.
"I am moved and touched beyond words for the confidence they have in me and giving me the opportunity to serve the Nation. I assure to work hard for the Nation until my last breath. Jai Hind," he said in a post on X.
Due to the comfortable majority of the BJP and its allies in the electoral college, comprising Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, Radhakrishnan’s election is all but certain, and the party hopes that his elevation will help it make fresh inroads in Tamil Nadu, where elections are due next year.
Radhakrishnan belongs to the influential Gounder caste, an OBC community, in Tamil Nadu.
The elevation of Radhakrishnan will also bolster the BJP's counter-offensive against the pitch of the Congress and its allies to woo the OBCs on issues like caste census and their political representation in the run-up to the Bihar elections slated later this years.
The BJP has cited the highest-ever number of OBC ministers in the Union government besides Modi's own background as a member of a backward caste to emphasise its pro-backward credentials, and its choice of the vice-presidential candidate will further boost its firepower.
Nadda emphasised Radhakrishnan's nearly 40 years in public life, noting that he is well regarded in different parties and commands respect among various sections of society in his home state, where the BJP remains a junior player behind the two major Dravidian regional parties – the ruling DMK and the ADIMK.
"He is considered a statesman," Nadda said of the former Coimbatore MP, who was made the Jharkhand governor in 2023 and then shifted to Maharashtra in July 2024.
Unlike his predecessor Dhankhar, who was also a governor like him before being named as the NDA's vice-presidential nominee in 2022, Radhakrishnan has largely refrained from cultivating a public profile on controversial political issues as a governor.
However, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had alleged last year that the Raj Bhavan was instrumental in his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate as part of a "conspiracy" by the Centre.
Radhakrishnan then held a press conference on February 8, 2024, to deny the charge, insisting that his office had followed every democratic norm.
With the NDA enjoying the support of at least 422 members in the electoral college of 781 MPs, Radhakrishnan’s victory in any contest against the Opposition is a foregone conclusion. The majority mark is 391.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, sources said, will oversee the vice-presidential election, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will be the polling agent.
The last date for filing nomination is August 21.
Chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of the BJP-led alliance will to be part of Radhakrishnan's nomination-filing exercise, other than the prime minister and Union ministers.
If the Opposition also names its candidate, the election will be held on September 9.
The NDA parliamentary party is expected to meet on August 19.
Making the announcement, Nadda said even as a governor, Radhakrishnan has been actively involved in issues related to social indicators, first in Jharkhand and then in Maharashtra.
As the chairman of the Coir Board, a statutory body established by the Union government for the promotion and development of the coir industry, he did commendable work and is a widely-travelled person with visits to nearly 124 countries, Nadda said.
Modi said Radhakrishnan has rich experience as an MP and governor of various states.
"His Parliamentary interventions were always incisive. During his gubernatorial tenures, he focused on addressing challenges faced by common citizens. These experiences ensured that he has vast knowledge of legislative and Constitutional matters," Modi said.
BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya said on X that Radhakrishnan would be only the second OBC leader ever to occupy the high office of president or vice-president, and the first from South India.
He would also be the third person from Tamil Nadu to rise to the position of vice-president, Malviya said.
In the past, Radhakrishnan served as the acting governor of Telangana and the acting lieutenant governor of Puducherry.
A former president of Tamil Nadu BJP, Radhakrishnan has been associated with the party since its early years and represented it in the Lok Sabha between 1998 and 2004.
The vice-presidential election has been necessitated following Dhankhar's sudden resignation on July 21, the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament.
Though Dhankhar cited health reasons as the cause of his resignation, it is believed that his souring ties with the government played a role in his abrupt departure.
