Vice President Election 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated CP Radhakrishnan on being elected the 15th Vice President of India. Modi said he was confident that Radhakrishnan would be an outstanding Vice President who would strengthen constitutional values and enhance parliamentary debate. In a post on X, Modi said Radhakrishnan’s life had been dedicated to serving society and empowering the poor and marginalised. “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,” Modi wrote.
Radhakrishnan, the Governor of Maharashtra, defeated INDIA bloc nominee and former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy by a margin of 150 votes. He polled 452 votes while Reddy secured 300. Out of 788 MPs eligible to vote, 767 cast their ballots. A total of 752 votes were valid and 15 were declared invalid. Thirteen MPs abstained, including seven from the Biju Janata Dal, four from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, one from the Shiromani Akali Dal and one independent.
President Droupadi Murmu also congratulated Radhakrishnan. “Congratulations to Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan on being elected as the Vice President of India! Your decades of rich experience in public life will contribute significantly to the nation’s progress. I extend my best wishes to you for a successful and impactful tenure,” she said in a message.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extended his wishes but urged Radhakrishnan to ensure space and dignity for the Opposition. He said the election was a battle of ideology. “Best wishes to Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan on securing victory in the Vice Presidential election. We extend our sincere gratitude to Shri B. Sudershan Reddy garu, the united Opposition’s joint candidate, for his spirited and principled fight. This was more than an election; it was a battle of ideology, reaffirming that governments with authoritarian tendencies must be checked to protect our Constitution and Democracy. We hope the new Vice President-elect will uphold the highest ethos of Parliamentary traditions, ensuring equal space and dignity for the Opposition, and not succumb to pressures of the ruling dispensation. The Vice President, the second highest Constitutional office in the order of precedence, must be revitalised to reflect independence, fairness, and strength in safeguarding Democratic values. We must also remember why this election was necessitated. Shri Jagdeep Dhankar resigned suddenly on the very day he chaired the opening of the Monsoon Session—an exit still unexplained and unceremonious. As we move forward, transparency, accountability, and respect for Constitutional positions must guide our institutions in letter and spirit,” Kharge said.
Radhakrishnan, 68, is a two-time Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. He belongs to the Gounder-Kongu Vellalar OBC community and has been in politics for more than four decades. He will now serve as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha in his new role as Vice President.