The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential elections scheduled for September 9.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the BJP’s Parliamentary Board, the party’s highest decision-making body, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
NDA Nomination and Outreach
Party president JP Nadda, briefing the media after the meeting, said that the nomination of 68-year-old Radhakrishnan followed “extensive discussions with NDA partners.” He added that BJP leaders had also reached out to the Opposition, urging them to support the candidate.
“The opposition leaders conveyed to us that their decision to support the nominee will depend on the candidate. We are hopeful that the Vice President will be elected by consensus,” Nadda stated.
Political and Administrative Career
Radhakrishnan has held several constitutional and political positions over the years. He previously served as:
- Governor of Jharkhand (2023–2024), with additional charge of Telangana,
- Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry,
- Two-time Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore, and
- Former president of BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit.
Election Schedule
The Vice Presidential election is slated for September 9, with August 21 as the last date for filing nominations. The vacancy arose following the sudden resignation of incumbent Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, citing health concerns.
Parliamentary Board Deliberations
The 11-member Parliamentary Board, which finalised the name, includes:
JP Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Sarbanand Sonowal, senior leaders BS Yediyurappa, BL Santhosh, K Laxman, Sudha Yadav, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, and Satyanarayan Jatiya.
