New Delhi [India], September 9 : National Democratic Alliance-backed CP Radhakrishnan was elected as 15th Vice President of India on Tuesday.
The VP-elect, who has a political career spanning over 50 years, defeated the opposition bloc's joint candidate, Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, by 152 votes.
Radhakrishnan received 452 first preference votes, whereas Sudershan Reddy secured 300 first preference votes. 15 votes were considered invalid.
Thirteen MPs abstained from voting in the Vice Presidential elections. The list includes seven MPs from Biju Janata Dal, four from Bharath Rashtra Samithi, one MP from Shiromani Akali Dal and one independent MP.
Following CP Radhakrishnan's win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited his residence in the national capital and extended his greetings. PM Modi's visit was followed by Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju, Pralhad Joshi, JP Nadda and others.
Following the results, B Sudershan Reddy extended warm wishes to NDA's CP Radhakrishnan after he was elected the 15th Vice President of India.
In a statement following the Vice Presidential election result, Reddy said that he will continue his ideological battle with even "greater vigour" despite the result not being in his favour.
"Though the result is not in my favour, the larger cause we have collectively sought to advance remains undiminished. The ideological battle continues with ever greater vigour. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the leaders of the Opposition parties who made me their joint candidate. Our democracy is strengthened not by victory alone, but by the spirit of dialogue, dissent, and participation. I remain committed, as a citizen, to upholding the ideals of equality, fraternity, and liberty that bind us together. May our Constitution continue to be the guiding light of our national life. I wish the Vice President-elect CP Radhakrishnan the very best as he embarks upon his tenure," B Sudershan Reddy said in a statement.
He further termed his journey as a "profound honour", stating that it has guided constitutional morality, justice, and the dignity of his life.
"Today, the MPs have rendered their verdict in the election for the office of the Vice President of India. I humbly accept this outcome with an abiding faith in the democratic processes of our great Republic. This journey has been a profound honour, offering me the opportunity to stand for the values that have guided my life: constitutional morality, justice, and the dignity of every individual," the statement added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to newly elected VP CP Radhakrishnan, asserting that he will strengthen India's "Constitutional values" and enhance "Parliamentary discourse.
"The Prime Minister hailed Radhakrishnan and mentioned that his life has been devoted towards serving society and empowering the poor and marginalised."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, Prime Minister Modi wrote on 'X'.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also wished Radhakrishnan on winning the Vice Presidential elections. He termed the VP elections as the battle of ideology, mentioning that the Union Government's "authoritarian tendencies" must be checked to protect the constitution and democracy.
"Best wishes to Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan on securing victory in the Vice Presidential election. We extend our sincere gratitude to Shri B. Sudershan Reddy garu, the united Opposition's joint candidate, 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. We hope the new Vice President-elect will uphold the highest ethos of Parliamentary traditions, ensuring equal space and dignity for the Opposition, and not succumb to pressures of the ruling dispensation. The Vice President, the second highest Constitutional office in the order of precedence, must be revitalised to reflect independence, fairness, and strength in safeguarding Democratic values. We must also remember why this election was necessitated. Shri Jagdeep Dhankar resigned suddenly on the very day he chaired the opening of the Monsoon Session--an exit still unexplained and unceremonious. As we move forward, transparency, accountability, and respect for Constitutional positions must guide our institutions in letter and spirit," Kharge's 'X' post said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended warm wishes to CP Radhakrishnan, asserting that his profound knowledge about administration will help the government in bringing out the best form of India's parliamentary democracy.
"Congratulations to Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan Ji on being elected as the Vice President of India. I firmly believe that your sagacity as a leader who has risen from the grassroots of the society and profound knowledge about administration will help us in bringing out the best in our 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," he said in an 'X' post.
President Droupadi Murmu also congratulated CP Radhakrishnan on being elected as the 15th Vice President of India, expressing confidence that his decades of experience in public life will contribute to the nation's progress.
In a post on X, President Murmu wrote, "Congratulations to Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan on being elected as the Vice President of India! Your decades of rich experience in public life will make a significant contribution to the nation's progress. I extend my best wishes to you for a successful and impactful tenure."
Meanwhile, emphasising on NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan's win, Union Minister Bhagwad Karad highlighted cross-voting from 14 INDIA bloc MPs, which surpassed their anticipated win.
"The NDA has registered a win as expected. In fact, INDI bloc has got fewer votes with 14 people indulging in cross voting, 14 other votes which were cancelled were also from INDI bloc side," Bhagwad Karad told ANI,
Meanwhile, BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal asserted that 40 MPs of the opposition voted in favour of CP Radhakrishnan.
"We were fully confident that we would definitely cross the figure of 450 votes. Today, we have shown how dominant NDA is in Parliament. We also thank Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi had said that one should vote by listening to the voice of conscience. His 40 MPs have voted for us," Jaiswal said.
The Vice President's seat had been vacant since July 21 following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar due to health reasons.
Before being elected as India's 15th Vice President, CP Radhakrishnan was serving as the Governor of Maharashtra since July 31, 2024.
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 earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and became a state committee member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor to the BJP, in 1974. Before the Jan Sangh, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
In the year 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.
Radhakrishnan has also served as a two-time MP from Coimbatore.