New Delhi: NDA nominee and Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan was on Tuesday elected as the 15th Vice-President of India, defeating INDIA bloc candidate and former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy.
- Results: Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes, while Reddy polled 300, with 15 invalid votes. Out of 788 eligible MPs, 767 voted (98.2% turnout), while 13 abstained.
- Cross-voting factor: The margin of 150 votes—among the lowest in VP elections—indicated significant cross-voting from Opposition ranks.
- Reactions: After his victory, Radhakrishnan said, “The opposition and the government are two sides of a coin. We’ll work for everyone.” He also acknowledged the role of “nationalistic ideology” influencing Opposition MPs.
- Background: Radhakrishnan, 68, a two-time Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu during the Vajpayee era, will now preside over the Rajya Sabha as its Chairman. His elevation is expected to boost BJP’s campaign in Tamil Nadu ahead of next year’s Assembly polls.
- Reddy’s response: Accepting defeat, Reddy said he “humbly accepted” the outcome with faith in India’s democratic processes and wished Radhakrishnan success.
The election was held 50 days after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the post citing health reasons on July 21.
