C. P. Radhakrishnan Sworn In as India's 15th Vice President
C. P. Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office. Radhakrishnan, the former governor of Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Telangana, succeeds Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned in July citing health reasons. As Vice President, Radhakrishnan will also serve as the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. The election saw the NDA candidate defeat the opposition's nominee, B. Sudershan Reddy, by a margin of 152 votes.
Unpacked:
C.P. Radhakrishnan is an Indian politician from Tamil Nadu, with a long career in the BJP and RSS. He served as Governor of Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Puducherry, and was twice elected to the Lok Sabha. He has also been the BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president and held key parliamentary posts.
Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President of India in July 2025 due to health reasons, creating a vacancy that necessitated the vice presidential election.
The Vice President of India is the second-highest constitutional office. The primary responsibility is to serve as the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, presiding over its sessions and ensuring its orderly functioning. The Vice President also acts as President if the office becomes vacant temporarily.
Radhakrishnan’s main opponent was B Sudershan Reddy, the opposition candidate. Radhakrishnan, representing the NDA, won the vice presidential election with about 60% of the vote, totaling 452 votes, indicating strong support from the ruling coalition.