VP polls: NDA pick CP Radhakrishnan wins; victory explained in numbers

NEW DELHI: NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan was on Tuesday elected as India’s 15th vice president, defeating opposition INDIA bloc candidate and former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy.

Radhakrishnan, currently serving as Maharashtra governor, will vacate the post to succeed Jagdeep Dhankhar, whose abrupt resignation on July 21 created the vacancy.

The vice president holds the country’s second-highest constitutional office, after the President of India.

Here’s the 17th vice presidential election in numbers:

Total votes: 767

Valid votes: 752

Invalid votes: 15

Radhakrishnan votes: 452

Reddy votes: 300

Electoral college strength: 788 (543 Lok Sabha MPs, 245 Rajya Sabha)

Present strength: 781 (6 Rajya Sabha seats vacant; 1 in Lok Sabha)

Abstentions (MPs who didn’t vote): 12

NDA numbers before voting: 427 (+11 YSRCP MPs)

INDIA bloc numbers before voting: 315

President Murmu, PM Modi congratulate CP Radhakrishnan

President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Radhakrishnan, saying: “Congratulations to Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan on being elected as the Vice President of India ! Your decades of experience in public life will contribute significantly to the nation’s progress. I wish you a successful and impactful tenure.”

Congratulations to Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan on being elected as the Vice President of India! Your decades of rich experience in public life will contribute significantly to the nation’s progress. I extend my best wishes to you for a successful and impactful tenure.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 9, 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X: “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.”

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…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2025

Radhakrishnan also served 2 terms in the Lok Sabha, winning from the Coimbatore seat in the 1998 and 1999 general elections. He held gubernatorial posts in Jharkhand, Telangana, Puducherry, and since July 2024, Maharashtra.