NDA's CP Radhakrishnan is India's next Vice-President
BJP leaders are quick to claim that at least 15 Opposition MPs voted in favour of Radhakrishnan.
NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan was elected the next vice-president of India on Tuesday (September 9) as he bagged 452 votes against the Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy's 300, winning the contest with a bigger-than-expected margin, indicating cross-voting from the rival camp.
Announcing the result of the vice-presidential election this evening, Rajya Sabha secretary general and returning officer P C Mody said 767 MPs cast their votes out of the total valid electors of 781 in a turnout of 98.2 per cent. He said 752 ballots were valid and 15 were invalid, bringing down the required majority of first preference votes to 377.
Though the victory of Radhakrishnan (67), currently the Maharashtra governor and a seasoned leader with an RSS background and decades-long stint first in the Jan Sangh and then the BJP in Tamil Nadu, was a foregone conclusion due to the ruling alliance's numerical edge but the extent of his victory margin is seen as a setback to the Opposition.
Opposition MPs cast invalid votes?
BJP leaders were quick to claim that at least 15 opposition MPs voted in favour of Radhakrishnan. There were hints from the ruling alliance that some Opposition MPs deliberately cast invalid votes.
"I declare C P Radhakrishnan elected to the post of Vice President of India and the results will be communicated to the Election Commission," Mody said.
BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal claimed that "nearly 40 opposition MPs" listened to the voice of their conscience and voted in "some manner" in support of the NDA candidate, showing a wider acceptance for him. His assertion of support from 40 opposition MPs appeared to include several invalid votes.
Some opposition leaders had appealed to MPs' conscience in the polls to support Reddy, and the senior BJP leader's comments were seen as a retort to them.
"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," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.
"I am confident that he will be an outstanding VP, who will strengthen our Constitutional values and enhance Parliamentary discourse," he said.
Radhakrishnan isIndia's 15th vice president when he is sworn in to the post.
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Live Updates
- 9 Sept 2025 2:22 PM IST
Amit Shah leaves after voting in Vice-Presidential election
Union Home Minister Amit Shah leaves after voting in Vice-Presidential election.
- 9 Sept 2025 2:20 PM IST
Hema Malini leaves after voting in the Vice Presidential election
BJP MP Hema Malini shows a victory sign as she leaves after voting in the Vice Presidential election.
- 9 Sept 2025 2:18 PM IST
CP Radhakrishnan will win the V-P elections with a good majority: Praful Patel
NCP MP Praful Patel says, "NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan will win the Vice-Presidential elections with a good majority...Under PM Modi's leadership, the nation is progressing..."
- 9 Sept 2025 2:17 PM IST
Engineer Rashid leaves after casting his vote in the V-P election
Jailed Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid leaves after casting his vote in the Vice Presidential election.
- 9 Sept 2025 1:16 PM IST
Gadkari, Kharge share a candid moment before voting in V-P polls
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Rajya Sabha LoP-Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge were seen having a candid conversation as they arrived to vote in the Vice Presidential Election 2025.
- 9 Sept 2025 1:14 PM IST
HD Deve Gowda arrives to cast his vote for the Vice Presidential election
Former Prime Minister and JD(S) MP in Rajya Sabha, HD Deve Gowda arrived at the Parliament to cast his vote for the Vice Presidential election.
- 9 Sept 2025 1:13 PM IST
Congress leaders leave after voting in the V-P polls
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi leave after voting in the Vice Presidential election.
- 9 Sept 2025 1:10 PM IST
AAP MPs will vote for Opposition's V-P candidate, B Sudershan Reddy: Sanjay Singh
AAP MP Sanjay Singh says, "Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal and the party have decided to support Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy and vote for him. Our MPs will vote for him...There is no such possibility (of cross-voting) in our party...All our votes will go to Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy...In the Constitution Club election, BJP members did cross-voting and voted against the Modi-Amit Shah's desired candidate...So, if something like that happens, there can be unexpected results."
On parties abstaining, he says, "They are supporting the BJP. They have not boycotted. It means they have supported Modi ji. Punjab and the entire country have come to know that in times of crisis like this, Akali Dal is standing with the BJP...They say something outside but stand together inside."
- 9 Sept 2025 1:08 PM IST
Shashi Tharoor casts his vote in the Vice Presidential election
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor casts his vote for the Vice Presidential election at the Parliament House.
- 9 Sept 2025 1:07 PM IST
Chirag Paswan casts his vote in the Vice-Presidential election
Union Minister Chirag Paswan casts his vote for the Vice-Presidential election at the Parliament House.
