NDA’s CP Radhakrishnan is India’s new vice president
At least fourteen MPs, including lawmakers from the Biju Janata Dal, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Akali Dal and two independents, didn’t vote
Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was elected as the 15th vice-president of India on Tuesday after securing 452 of 767 votes polled in the election, a higher-than expected tally that indicated some cross voting from the opposition benches and support from fence-sitters.
Rajya Sabha secretary general and returning officer PC Mody said 767 MPs cast their votes out of the total valid electors of 781 in a turnout of 98.2%. He said 752 ballots were valid and 15 were invalid, bringing down the required majority of first preference votes to 377.
At least fourteen MPs, including lawmakers from the Biju Janata Dal, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Akali Dal and two independents, didn’t vote.
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“I declare CP Radhakrishnan elected to the post of vice-president of India and the results will be communicated to the Election Commission,” Mody said.
The Opposition candidate, former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, got 300 votes after the votes cast in the day-long exercise were counted. This was an improvement from the tally of 182 in 2022 when the Congress’s Margaret Alva fought against the National Democratic Alliance’s Jagdeep Dhankhar. The Opposition hailed its showing but the final tally exposed some fault lines as a significant number of lawmakers were estimated to have cross-voted for the NDA.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi later met Radhakrishnan, who was also the governor of Maharashtra, at Union minister Pralhad Joshi’s residence.
“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,” Modi posted on X.
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Radhakrishnan’s improved showing sparked a storm of speculation and theories. Some leaders pointed towards the 15 invalid votes, others blamed non-NDA opposition parties for bolstering the NDA tally. Some senior Opposition leaders blamed lawmakers from the Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). “We are confident that 100% Congress votes, 41/41 Trinamool votes and all 34 DMK votes have gone in favour of Reddy,” said an Opposition floor leader.
Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant refuted claims of cross-voting by some party MPs. “It’s a totally baseless discussion. We all MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT) went for voting together and everyone voted for the INDIA candidate.” said Sawant.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the Opposition was united. “Its performance has undeniably been most respectable…The BJP’s mathematical victory is really both a moral and political defeat,” he posted on X.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge congratulated Radhakrishnan. “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,” he said.
“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,” he added.
Dhankhar, whose abrupt resignation on July 21 necessitated the election, congratulated Radhakrishnan. “Your elevation to this august office reflects the trust and confidence by the representatives of our nation,” he said in a letter, adding that given Radhakrishnan’s vast experience in public life, under his stewardship, the office would “certainly attain greater veneration and glory”.
Union home minister Amit Shah also congratulated Radhakrishnan. “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.”
Justice Reddy “humbly accepted” his defeat. “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,” he said.
On Monday, the BJD (with 7 MPs) and the BRS (with 4 MPs) had announced they would abstain from voting citing reasons related to their respective states. On Tuesday, the lone Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and two independent MPs from Punjab didn’t vote. Sheikh Abdul Rashid came to vote from Tihar Jail.
The polling started at 10am amid chaos and allegations of slow-moving lines. By afternoon, the polling had gathered momentum and the counting process started at 6pm. Modi, Union ministers including Amit Shah and Rajanth Singh, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were among the MPs who voted.
Radhakrishnan will assume his role as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha in the winter session, which is expected to start in November. The 68-year-old will take charge of a deeply divided Rajya Sabha that has seen unprecedented friction between the Chair and the Opposition in the past two years, resulting in the first ever no-confidence notice against a sitting V-P in Independent India. Dhankhar, however, had rejected the notice against him on technical grounds.
