NEW DELHI– C.P. Radhakrishnan, the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) nominee, has been elected as the 15th Vice President of India, securing a decisive victory over opposition candidate and former Justice Sudarshan Reddy.
Radhakrishnan received 452 votes, comfortably crossing the 377-seat threshold needed for victory. Reddy, fielded by the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), polled 300 votes. Out of 767 ballots cast, 752 were deemed valid, with 15 declared invalid, according to the Election Commission of India.
The voting process, conducted in Parliament House between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., saw an impressive turnout of 96 percent of Members of Parliament. Counting began immediately after polls closed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to cast his vote, followed by senior ministers including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Kiren Rijiju, and Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Several prominent leaders also participated, among them Congress figures Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, now 92. Jailed MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid of Baramulla was escorted under heavy security to vote as well.
Thirteen lawmakers abstained, including members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and several Independents. Party leaders said the decision reflected a desire to maintain equal distance from both the NDA and the INDIA bloc while signaling regional priorities.
Opposition leaders framed the contest as an “ideological battle,” though their candidate ultimately fell short. BJP members attributed Radhakrishnan’s win to the cohesion of the NDA alliance and Prime Minister Modi’s close oversight of the campaign. “The Prime Minister ensured that every member knew the procedure clearly and that nothing was left to chance,” one BJP MP said.
The election process was formally launched on August 7, with the final list of candidates confirmed on August 25. Only two valid nominations remained, setting up the September 9 showdown.
Radhakrishnan will be sworn in Wednesday at a ceremony attended by President Droupadi Murmu, lawmakers, and senior dignitaries. His five-year term runs through 2030, unless the office is vacated earlier.
As Vice President, he will serve as ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, India’s Upper House of Parliament, and step in as Acting President should a vacancy arise, as outlined under Articles 67 and 71 of the Constitution. (Source: IANS)
