In a post on X, Rijiju said, “Special thanks to some MPs of- INDI Alliance who voted with ‘Conscience’ for NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan in the VP election. NDA and all our friendly MPs remain united. Congratulations to everyone on electing a humble and efficient man and a true patriot as India’s new Vice President.”
Radhakrishnan was elected the 15th Vice President of India on Tuesday, bagging 452 votes against the Opposition nominee and former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy’s 300 votes.
Announcing the result, Rajya Sabha Secretary General and Returning Officer PC Mody said 767 MPs out of 781 cast their votes with a total 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.
“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.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan, saying his decades of rich experience in public life will contribute significantly to the nation’s progress, strengthen constitutional values and enhance parliamentary discourse.
But his victory margin was a setback to the Opposition, which had claimed all its 315 MPs remained united in the election and voted for Reddy, their joint candidate. Radhakrishnan’s margin was bigger than expected, with BJP leaders claiming that he drew support even from the rival camp.
The BJP-led NDA had on paper 427 MPs in its alliance, with the YSR Congress also extending the support of its 11 MPs to its candidate. Some MPs representing smaller parties also backed Radhakrishnan.
BJP leaders claimed that at least 15 opposition MPs voted in favour of Radhakrishnan. There were hints from the ruling alliance that some Opposition MPs deliberately cast invalid votes.
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 present strength of the electoral college is 781 as six seats are vacant in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha.
