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Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan took oath as the 15th Vice President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He succeeds Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned last month citing health issues.

C P Radhakrishnan takes oath as 15th Vice President of India

Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan took oath as the 15th Vice President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He succeeds Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned last month citing health issues.

Named after first Vice President S Radhakrishnan and strongly rooted in the RSS and the BJP, Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan brings with him a rich political and administrative experience as the 15th vice president of India, which his supporters believe will also prove handy in his role as the ex-officio chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Seen as a soft-spoken and non-confrontational leader, the 67-year-old Radhakrishnan took oath on Friday. He succeeds Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned as vice president on July 21, taking everyone by surprise. Radhakrishnan is the third leader from Tamil Nadu to occupy the coveted post.
Dhankhar was known for his frequent run-ins with the Opposition, and had even faced an impeachment notice from them.
Described as a 'Pachai Tamizhan' (true-blue Tamil) by well-wishers, Radhakrishnan was serving as the governor of Maharashtra when he was named as the vice presidential nominee of the BJP-led NDA.
On Tuesday, when he was elected as the vice president, his mother Janaki Ammal fondly recalled the story behind his name.
"When my son was born, the then President Radhakrishnan was in office. He was a teacher, and I too was a teacher. In his memory, I named my son after him. At that time, my husband looked at me and asked, 'are you giving this name because you want your son to become the President one day?' After 62 years, just as my husband had said, it has come true," she had told reporters in Tamil Nadu.
Radhakrishnan on Tuesday described his election to the second-highest Constitutional post as a victory of the nationalistic ideology and vowed to work towards making India a developed nation by 2047.
He won the vice presidential election by bagging 452 votes, while the opposition candidate, B Sudershan Reddy, polled 300 votes.
"The other side camp (opposition alliance) said that this (election) is an ideological fight, but from the voting pattern, we understand that the nationalistic ideology has emerged victorious," Radhakrishnan said in his first public remarks after the win.
"It is a victory for every Indian; we all have to work together. If we have to develop Viksit Bharat by 2047, which means we should not do politics in everything, now we will have to concentrate on development," he had said.
A two-term member of the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore during the tenure of prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Radhakrishnan came close to becoming a Union minister, but had to lose out to fellow Tamilian Pon Radhakrishnan in 1998 after some confusion over his name by the then floor managers of the BJP.
Radhakrishnan joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a teenager and rose through the ranks in the organisation and later in the BJP, gaining acceptability in the party and the state.
A member of the socially dominant and economically prosperous Kongu Vellalar Gounder community, he became the secretary of the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit in 1996 and served as the party's state unit president between 2003 and 2006.
An avid sportsperson, Radhakrishnan was a college champion in table tennis and a long-distance runner. He also enjoys cricket and volleyball.
Radhakrishnan is considered an untainted leader with rich political and administrative experience for the vice president's office and this would also prove useful as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
"Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has rich experience as 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. I am confident he will be an inspiring vice president," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said after the NDA chose Radhakrishnan as the vice presidential candidate.
The Tamil Nadu leader is said to be held in high esteem across party lines in his state, resulting in the BJP giving him multiple gubernatorial assignments in Jharkhand, Telangana, Maharashtra and Puducherry.
Radhakrishnan's candidature also seeks to disarm the Opposition of a key political narrative, as he is the first OBC leader from South India to be named for the vice-president's office.
An official profile circulated by the NDA projects Radhakrishnan as a leader who is eminent, knowledgeable and untainted by any legal accusations.
Radhakrishnan's political innings started with his association with organisations such as the RSS and the Jan Sangh.
He took up student politics and has since used politics as a medium to serve the people.
Radhakrishnan's track record of holding electoral, organisational and constitutional responsibilities shows that he is set to create history as the vice president of India.
He was sworn in as the governor of Maharashtra on July 31, 2024. Before this, he served as the governor of Jharkhand for nearly one-and-a-half years.
Born on October 20, 1957, at Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration.
Starting as an RSS swayamsevak at the age of 16, he became a state executive committee member of the Bharatiya Janasangh in 1974.
Between 2004 and 2007, Radhakrishnan served as the Tamil Nadu BJP president. In this role, he undertook a 19,000-km 'Rath Yatra' that lasted for 93 days.

Congress congratulated C P Radhakrishnan as vice president-elect, recalling Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s 1952 call for free opposition criticism.

Congress Extends Best Wishes to New Vice President Amid Election Reflections

Congress Welcomes New Vice President Amid Election Insights

Congress congratulated C P Radhakrishnan as vice president-elect, recalling Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan&rsquo;s 1952 call for free opposition criticism.

The Congress on Wednesday extended best wishes to vice president-elect C P Radhakrishnan and recalled first vice president Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's words in the Rajya Sabha in 1952 that a democracy is likely to "degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely, and frankly the policies of the government".
The opposition party asserted that Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan practised what he preached, both in letter and spirit.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "While extending its best wishes to Shri C P Radhakrishnan, the newly-elected Vice President of India who will also be the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Indian National Congress recalls the wise words of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the very first Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha." "On the opening day of the Rajya Sabha on May 16, 1952, the very eminent philosopher-educationist-author-diplomat had said: 'I belong to no party, and that means I belong to every party in this House. It shall be my endeavour to uphold the traditions, the highest traditions, of parliamentary democracy and act towards each party with fairness and impartiality with ill-will to none and goodwill to all....A democracy is likely to degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely, and frankly the policies of the Government'," Ramesh posted on X.
"Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan practised what he preached, both in letter and spirit," he added.
NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan was elected the next vice president of India as he bagged 452 votes against the opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy's 300, winning the contest with a bigger than expected margin.
After the results for the vice presidential polls were declared, the Congress on Tuesday had said the BJP's "arithmetical" victory in the vice presidential election is both a "moral and political defeat" for the ruling party. It had asserted that the Opposition stood united in the election with "most respectable" performance.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had extended best wishes to Radhakrishnan on securing victory in the election, while also expressing sincere gratitude to Reddy for being the "united Opposition's joint candidate" and for his spirited and principled fight.
Ramesh had asserted that the Opposition stood united for the vice presidential election.
"Its performance has undeniably been most respectable. Its joint candidate Justice (retd) B Sudershan Reddy secured 40% of the vote. In 2022, the Opposition had received 26% of the vote in the vice presidential elections," Ramesh had said on Tuesday.
"The BJP's arithmetical victory is really both a moral and political defeat. The ideological battle continues undiminished," Ramesh had said.

Voting began Tuesday for the vice presidential election with PM Modi casting the first vote. NDA’s C P Radhakrishnan faces opposition nominee B Sudershan Reddy, with results expected tonight.

Vice Presidential Election: PM Modi Casts First Vote as VP Election Begins

Vice Presidential Election: PM Modi Votes

Voting for vice president began with PM Modi among early voters. NDA's Radhakrishnan faces opposition's Reddy. With 781 MPs voting, NDA holds an advantage; results expected tonight.

Voting was underway to elect a new vice president on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being the first to exercise his franchise in the contest between NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy.
Modi, accompanied by Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Jitendra Singh and L Murugan, cast his vote in the polling booth set up in Room No. 101 Vasudha in Parliament building.
"Voted in the 2025 Vice President election," Modi said in a post on X, before embarking on a visit to flood-hit states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Voted in the 2025 Vice President election. <a href="https://t.co/soCoJJmHSI">pic.twitter.com/soCoJJmHSI</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1965279055214985341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Among the early voters were Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Meghwal, Pralhad Joshi, Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Harivansh, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Nasser Hussain.
The 92-year-old Gowda arrived at the polling booth in a wheel chair. Union minister Nitin Gadkari and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were seen walking hand in hand to the polling booth.
The poll is witnessing a direct contest between Radhakrishnan and Reddy, with the ruling NDA having a clear edge in the poll necessitated due to the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Members of both Houses of Parliament are eligible to cast their votes in the Parliament House between 10 am and 5 pm. Counting votes will begin at 6 pm, and the results will be announced late evening.
Union Ministers Rijiju and Ram Mohan Naidu along with Shiv Sena Lok Sabha member Shrikant Shinde have been appointed as official election agents of the ruling NDA for the election process.
"We are not just assured, but confident of victory," Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat told reporters as the polling got underway.
"I am only trying to awaken the conscience of the people. This is a fight for the Constitution, it will continue. I thank the people for the love I got and the response of the civil society," Reddy, the joint opposition candidate for the vice presidential poll, said.
Members of Parliament are not bound by party whips to vote in the vice presidential election, which takes place under a secret ballot system.
The electoral college for the vice presidential election comprises a total of 788 members - 245 from the Rajya Sabha and 543 from the Lok Sabha. The 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are also eligible to vote in the election.
The present strength of the electoral college is 781 as six seats are vacant in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha. This puts the majority mark at 391. The NDA has 425 MPs, while the opposition camp has the backing of 324.&nbsp;

Former Supreme Court Judge B Sudarshan Reddy, backed by Congress and other opposition parties, files nomination for the vice-president election against NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan.

B Sudarshan Reddy Submits Vice-Presidential Nomination Backed by Congress.

B Sudarshan Reddy's Vice-Presidential Nomination

Former Supreme Court Judge B Sudarshan Reddy, backed by Congress and other opposition parties, files nomination for the vice-president election against NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan.

Opposition's vice-presidential candidate B Sudarshan Reddy on Thursday filed his nomination papers for the elections to the second highest office, and asserted the contest is not just about one individual, but about reaffirming the idea of India where Parliament functions with integrity, dissent is respected and institutions serve people with independence.
The former Supreme Court judge filed his nomination in the presence of top Opposition leaders, including Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, SP leader Ramgopal Yadav, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, TMC's Satabdi Roy, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut, CPI(M)'s John Brittas among others.
In a statement after filing nomination, Reddy vowed that if elected, he would discharge the role of vice president with impartiality, dignity, and a steadfast commitment to dialogue and decorum.
"Today, I had the honour of filing my nomination papers for the office of the vice president of India as a joint candidate of the Opposition parties.I did so with a deep sense of humility, responsibility, and unwavering commitment to the values enshrined in our Constitution," Reddy said in a statement.
"This election is not merely about one individual. It is about reaffirming the idea of India as envisaged by our founders -- an India where Parliament functions with integrity, where dissent is respected, and where institutions serve the people with independence and fairness," he said.
The vice president, as the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, carries the responsibility of safeguarding the highest traditions of parliamentary democracy, he noted.
"If elected, I pledge to discharge that role with impartiality, dignity, and a steadfast commitment to dialogue and decorum," he added.
Reddy submitted four sets of nomination papers before the Rajya Sabha secretary general, who is also the returning officer for the vice-presidential election.
As many as 160 MPs have signed as proposers and seconders. These include Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Dimple Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav and other top leaders. Each set has 20 secondary proposers as well.
The returning officer scrutinised the nomination documents, and handed over an acknowledgement slip to Reddy.
A prospective vice-presidential candidate is required to get his nomination paper subscribed to by at least 20 electors as proposers and at least another 20 electors as seconders.
The electoral college for the vice presidential elections comprises members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are also eligible to cast their votes.
The effective strength of the electoral college is 781 and the majority mark is 391.
The move to pick Reddy as a joint candidate of the Opposition has made the vice-presidential election a South versus South contest. The Opposition also wanted to pick a non-political face as their nominee for the second-highest constitutional post in the country.
The ruling NDA has picked Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan, a seasoned BJP leader from Tamil Nadu with an RSS background, as its vice-presidential candidate. Radhakrishnan filed his nomination on Wednesday.
The ruling party enjoys the support of at least 422 members and non-INDIA bloc parties such as YSRCP have already announced support to Radhakrishnan.
Reddy, the first Lokayukta of Goa, is also on the Board of Trustees of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre in Hyderabad.
He began his professional journey as an advocate focused on civil and constitutional matters in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Born in Akula Mylaram village in the Rangareddy district of present-day Telangana on July 8, 1946, he completed his early education in Hyderabad and earned his law degree from Osmania University in 1971.

C P Radhakrishnan, supported by key NDA leaders, files his nomination for Vice President.

NDA candidate Radhakrishan files nomination papers for vice presidential election

C P Radhakrishnan, supported by key NDA leaders, files his nomination for Vice President.

NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the vice presidential election in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders.
Modi, flanked by Radhakrishnan and senior NDA leaders, handed over four sets of nomination papers to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody, who is the returning officer for the vice presidential election.
The four sets of nomination papers have Modi, Singh, Shah and JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh as lead proposers.
A prospective vice-presidential candidate is required to get his nomination paper subscribed to by at least 20 electors as proposers and at least another 20 electors as seconders.
The NDA has ensured representation of all its constituents as proposers and seconders in the four sets of nomination papers that were filed.
The returning officer examined the nomination papers following which Radhakrishnan signed a register. The returning officer then handed over an acknowledgement slip of the nomination papers to the prime minister.
Modi, Shah, senior ministers Pralhad Joshi, Dharmendra Pradhan and other NDA leaders, including TDP leader and Union Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde, LJSP (RV) leader Chirag Paswan escorted Radhakrishnan to the office of the returning officer in Parliament.
Earlier, Radhakrishan paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders at Prerna Sthal, which houses statues of iconic personalities, in Parliament complex.
Radhakrishnan, whose election as vice president is a certainty, was accompanied by Union ministers and other leaders from the BJP-led alliance.
The electoral college for the vice presidential elections comprises members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are also eligible to cast their votes.
The effective strength of the electoral college is 781 and the majority mark is 391. The ruling NDA enjoys the support of at least 422 members and non-INDIA bloc parties such as YSRCP have already announced support to Radhakrishnan.
Described as a "Pachai Tamizhan" (true-blue Tamil) by well wishers, Maharashtra Governor Radhakrishnan (67) is a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who served as a two-term member of the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore during the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and later, went on to lead the party in Tamil Nadu.
The NDA is projecting Radhakrishnan as an untainted leader with rich political and administrative experience for the vice-president's office and maintaining that this would also prove useful as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Radhakrishnan was the chairman of the All India Coir Board from 2016 to 2020, a period when coir exports witnessed a significant jump.
BJP president J P Nadda described Radhakrishnan as a "statesman" who commands respect across party lines. He belongs to the influential Gounder caste, an Other Backward Classes (OBC) community in Tamil Nadu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to all parties, including the Opposition, for the unanimous election of NDA’s vice presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan.

PM Modi Urges Unity for NDA VP Candidate Radhakrishnan

Support Urged for NDA's VP Candidate Radhakrishnan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to all parties, including the Opposition, for the unanimous election of NDA&rsquo;s vice presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appealed to all parties, including the Opposition, for unanimous election of NDA's vice presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan, as he praised his life of public service at a meeting of the ruling alliance MPs.
Radhakrishnan was felicitated at the meeting of MPs here by their top brass, including Prime Minister Modi and several BJP allies.
Radhakrishnan is likely to file his nomination on Wednesday.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters that Modi, in his address, appealed to various parties, especially the Opposition, to back Radhakrishnan to ensure that he is elected unanimously.
Modi introduced the Maharashtra governor, who is a seasoned BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, to the NDA MPs, citing his long public life in which he served ably in different capacities.
In his speech, Modi also raised the issue of Indus Waters Treaty and slammed the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru for signing the agreement with Pakistan without taking Parliament or his Cabinet into confidence.
Nehru did to burnish his own image at the cost of the interest of the country, he said, according to sources.
Over 80 per cent of the waters was allowed to be used by Pakistan, he noted.
The Modi government has put the treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The prime minister said his government has been undoing the sins of that era, the sources added.
Nehru later told a colleague that he had believed that the agreement will help resolve other issues with Pakistan but it did not happen, he noted, Modi also spoke of the S&amp;P Global Ratings recent decision to upgrade India's long-term sovereign credit rating, saying it highlights the country's sound economy and will draw more investment.
Rijiju said Radhakrishnan (67) has led a simple life away from any controversy or taint, stressing that his election as vice president will be a matter of delight for the entire country.
With the BJP-led NDA enjoying a comfortable majority in the electoral college comprising MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Radhakrishnan's win is a certainty amid indications from the opposition INDIA bloc that it will field its own candidate and force a contest.

NDA’s vice presidential nominee C P Radhakrishnan was felicitated by Prime Minister Modi and allies. He is set to file his nomination on Wednesday, with NDA’s majority ensuring a clear victory despite INDIA bloc’s plan to contest.

PM Modi, allies felicitate Radhakrishnan at NDA parliamentary party meeting

NDA&rsquo;s vice presidential nominee C P Radhakrishnan was felicitated by Prime Minister Modi and allies. He is set to file his nomination on Wednesday, with NDA&rsquo;s majority ensuring a clear victory despite INDIA bloc&rsquo;s plan to contest.

The National Democratic Alliance's vice presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan was felicitated at a meeting of the ruling bloc's MPs here on Tuesday by their top brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several BJP allies.
Radhakrishnan is likely to file his nomination on Wednesday.
With the BJP-led NDA enjoying a comfortable majority in the electoral college comprising MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Radhakrishnan's win is a certainty amid indications from the opposition INDIA bloc that it will field its own candidate and force a contest.
Radhakrishnan (67), a seasoned BJP leader, is currently the Maharashtra governor and hails from Tamil Nadu.

The NDA has nominated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, a veteran BJP leader from Tamil Nadu’s OBC Gounder community, as its vice-presidential candidate. His election is virtually assured given the ruling alliance’s majority.

Maharashtra Governor Radhakrishnan Nominated as NDA Vice President Candidate

NDA Vice President Nomination: Radhakrishnan

The NDA has nominated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, a veteran BJP leader from Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s OBC Gounder community, as its vice-presidential candidate. His election is virtually assured given the ruling alliance&rsquo;s majority.

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&rsquo;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 &ndash; 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&rsquo;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.

cp radhakrishnan

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