Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dialled Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to seek support for Radhakrishnan’s candidature. The Rajya Sabha MP said the INDIA Bloc was yet to decide on the candidate.
The Opposition has reportedly denied backing Radhakrishnan because of his connection with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore told ANI, “INDIA alliance leaders will meet and decide about our stand and the candidate. We all know that CP Radhakrishnan has a background in RSS, and he proudly wears that RSS badge. He has been an MP from Tamil Nadu and the BJP president from Tamil Nadu. Therefore, he has associations with Tamil Nadu, and he is the Governor in Maharashtra, but his RSS links can’t be forgotten.”
Radhakrishnan hails from Tamil Nadu, which will go to polls in 2026.
The vice-presidential election, necessitated by the sudden resignation of incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar last month, is scheduled for September 9. The last date for filing the nomination is August 21.
NDA allies JD (U) supremo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief and Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan have extended their parties’ support to Radhakrishnan.
Radhakrishnan (67) is an OBC leader and a two-time former member of the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore.
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.
Radhakrishnan belongs to the influential Gounder caste, an OBC community, in Tamil Nadu. His elevation will also bolster the BJP’s counter-offensive against the pitch of the Congress and its allies to woo the OBCs ahead of the Bihar elections slated later this year.
Radhakrishnan was the Jharkhand governor in 2023 and then shifted to Maharashtra in July 2024.
How numbers are stacked up
In the Vice Presidential elections, MPs from both the Houses vote via a ‘secret ballot’ and a proportional representation system using the single transferable vote.
The NDA enjoys the support of at least 422 members in the electoral college of 781 MPs making Radhakrishnan’s victory certain. The majority mark is 391.
