The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate and current Governor of Maharashtra, CP Radhakrishnan, secured a comfortable victory on Tuesday, being elected as the 14th Vice-President of India. He defeated his opponent, the INDIA bloc’s nominee and former Supreme Court judge, B. Sudershan Reddy. Out of the total 767 votes polled, Radhakrishnan garnered 452, while Reddy managed to secure 300. The results revealed not only a decisive win for the NDA candidate but also exposed visible cracks within the Opposition ranks, as several Opposition MPs were found to have cross-voted in favour of Radhakrishnan.
Although the outcome was in Radhakrishnan’s favour even before the ballots were cast, the numbers highlighted the significant role of cross-voting. The election took place just 50 days after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the Vice-President’s office on July 21, citing health-related reasons in an unexpected move on the opening day of the Monsoon Session. Interestingly, the 150-vote margin between the two candidates turned out to be among the slimmest recorded in a Vice-Presidential election. By comparison, in 2022, Jagdeep Dhankhar had defeated his rival Margaret Alva by a much wider margin of 528 to 182 votes.
The high voter turnout was another significant feature of this election. Out of 788 eligible MPs, 767 exercised their franchise, registering an impressive 98.2 per cent participation. Returning Officer PC Mody later declared in a press conference that 752 votes were valid, while 15 were invalid. The abstentions were also notable, with 13 MPs refraining from voting. These included seven from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), four from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), one from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and one independent MP.
CP Radhakrishnan, aged 68, has an extensive background in public life. A two-time Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, he has long been considered an experienced and clean leader. His elevation to the Vice-Presidency was seen as a strategic choice by the NDA, positioning him as an able and respected figure to preside over the Rajya Sabha as its Chairman. Belonging to the Gounder-Kongu Vellalar OBC community, Radhakrishnan’s political journey has been marked by grassroots-level connect and administrative acumen.
On the other hand, Sudershan Reddy, at 79, gracefully accepted his defeat. Known for his landmark rulings against Salwa Judum and in black money investigations during his tenure as a Supreme Court judge, Reddy issued a dignified statement after the results were announced. He said he “humbly accepted” the verdict of the MPs with full faith in India’s democratic traditions. Though he admitted the results did not favour him, he emphasised that the “ideological battle” for constitutional morality, justice, and the dignity of individuals would continue with greater determination. He also expressed gratitude to the Opposition parties that had united to support his candidacy and extended his best wishes to Vice President-elect Radhakrishnan for the new journey ahead.
The election day itself carried much political activity, with polling beginning at 10 am and concluding at 5 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to cast his vote, followed by prominent leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, BJP President JP Nadda, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The counting of votes commenced at 6 pm, and the results were declared soon after. The electoral college for the Vice-Presidential election included 781 MPs (238 from the Rajya Sabha and 542 from the Lok Sabha), though a few seats remained vacant. With abstentions from BJD and BRS MPs, the effective strength stood at 770, with the majority mark being 386.
The NDA had a clear advantage in numbers, with 425 MPs of its own and additional support from the YSR Congress Party’s 11 MPs, bringing its tally to 436. In contrast, the INDIA bloc entered the contest with the support of 324 MPs. Both candidates, however, expressed confidence before the polls, with Reddy describing his run as an effort to “awaken people’s conscience” and Radhakrishnan presenting the contest as a reflection of “Indian nationalism” and the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” or developed India.
After the declaration of results, congratulatory messages poured in from across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Radhakrishnan’s long-standing commitment to empowering the poor and marginalised, expressing confidence that he would be an “outstanding Vice-President” who would strengthen constitutional values and enrich parliamentary debates. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended his wishes, praising Radhakrishnan’s journey from grassroots leadership and asserting that his administrative wisdom would enhance India’s parliamentary democracy.
Opposition leaders, too, acknowledged the outcome. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge congratulated Radhakrishnan while expressing hope that he would uphold parliamentary traditions by ensuring space and dignity for the Opposition, without yielding to the pressures of the ruling party. At the same time, Kharge expressed gratitude to Sudershan Reddy for his principled fight, calling the election more than just a contest for office but an ideological struggle to safeguard India’s Constitution and democracy from authoritarian tendencies.
