The Indian Parliament on 9th of September 2025, held its early elections to appoint the new Vice president of India after the resignation of Jagdeep Dhan Khar (ex-vice president) from his post due to early elections. After completing the elections successfully, CP. Radhakrishnan, has been appointed as the new Vice President of India. Unlike general elections, the Vice president is elected through Electoral College consisting the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The voting was done by a secret ballot. Radhakrishnan won the elections with 452 votes from the total of 781 votes done. He defeated his opponent, Sudershan Reddy, a former Supreme Court Judge, who secured 300 votes.
Who is C.P Radhakrishnan
C.P. Radhakrishnan is a68-year-old Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader born in Tamil Nadu and now elected as the Vice President of India;he had earlier served in the realm of politics for several decades. He had recently served as the governor of Maharashtra and was also governor of Jharkhand. In his youth, he entered politics through Rashtirya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and later joined BJP. He will serve a term of five-years despite being elected mid-term.
PM Modi congratulated the newly elected Vice President and shared on his X post,
“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.”
How is the opposition reacting?
The opposing leader, former supreme court judge, Sudarshan Reddy, took the defeat gracefully. This highlighted the significance of democratic participation regardless of election results. Despite not winning, the opposition pointed out that their vote share was higher than in past vice-presidential elections.
Some parties have suggested that regional political dynamics may have influenced the voting pattern, while political analysts have pointed to potential cross-voting from opposition ranks as a factor in the final count however, the ruling party has announced that this victory presented the strength of how strong their alliance was and how much parliamentarians trusted their candidate.
Role of C.P. Radhakrishnan as the Vice President of India
As C.P. Radhakrishnan sits on the position of vice president, he will now have to ensure that he fulfills the role of a Rajya Sabha speaker. He will also have to take the responsibility of maintaining the decorum of the parliament of India and that the upper house i.e. Rajya Sabha runs smoothly. He will also have to take up the responsibilities of the President of India if there comes a time when the President office may be vacant temporarily. He will be taking the oath in the coming days while securing his post as India’s second highest constitutional authority. His political experience will help him to take informed approach while maintaining the Rajya Sabha, especially at times of political debates and upheaves by the opposition.
Conclusion
Jagdeep Dhankar, the former Vice President of India whose term was from 2022 to 2027, resigned midterm from his post. He stated declining health reasons due to which he was unable to fulfill his duties. More than just a change in leadership, C.P. Radhakrishnan’s election as India’s 15th vice president marks the beginning of a new era in the nation’s political history. The country eagerly awaits how his vast political background and track record of working across party lines will translate into his new position as head of the Rajya Sabha as he gets ready to take on his constitutional duties.
