On Sunday evening, August 17, 2025, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda announced Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential election, reported NDTV.
Nadda expressed the coalition’s desire for a unanimous election, stating, “We want the next vice president to be elected unanimously. We have reached out to opposition leaders.”
Political career and governance
CP Radhakrishnan, a veteran BJP leader born in 1957 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, has been serving as the Governor of Maharashtra since July 2024.
Prior to this, he was the Governor of Jharkhand from February 2023 to July 2024, during which he visited all 24 districts of the state within four months to engage with citizens and officials.
He also briefly held additional roles as Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry between March and July 2024. Radhakrishnan was elected to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore twice and served as the Tamil Nadu BJP State President from 2004 to 2007.
Notable initiatives
During his tenure as Tamil Nadu BJP chief, Radhakrishnan led a 19,000 km ‘Ratha Yatra’ over 93 days to advocate for linking Indian rivers, eradicating terrorism, implementing a uniform civil code, removing untouchability, and combating narcotic drugs.
He also spearheaded two additional Padayatras for various causes, showcasing his commitment to public issues.
Personal background
Born in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, the 68-year-old leader holds a BBA degree from Chidambaram College in Coimbatore. A keen sportsperson, Radhakrishnan was a college champion in table tennis, a long-distance runner, and enjoyed cricket and volleyball.
The Vice Presidential post became vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21, 2025, citing health reasons, on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The Election Commission has scheduled the Vice Presidential election for September 9, 2025, with vote counting to occur on the same day.
