The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has named Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the Vice Presidential election, following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, 2025, due to health issues. The announcement was made by BJP president JP Nadda after a key meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. If elected, Radhakrishnan will bring over four decades of political and administrative experience to one of India’s highest constitutional offices.
Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan began his public journey as a swayamsevak in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). By 1974, he had become a State Executive Committee member of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh in Tamil Nadu, later rising to the position of BJP Secretary in 1996. He went on to serve as BJP State President in Tamil Nadu from 2004 to 2007, during which he undertook a 93-day, 19,000-km Ratha Yatra focusing on social issues such as interlinking rivers, fighting terrorism, promoting a uniform civil code, and addressing drug abuse.
Radhakrishnan has served two terms as a Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore, elected in 1998 and 1999. As an MP, he chaired the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles and contributed as a member of the committees on Finance and Public Sector Undertakings. His parliamentary assignments also included representing India at the UN General Assembly in 2004 and being part of the first Indian delegation to Taiwan.
Over the years, he has been entrusted with several important administrative roles. From 2016 to 2020, he served as Chairman of the Coir Board, during which exports reached a record Rs 2,532 crore. Between 2020 and 2022, he was BJP’s All-India in Charge for Kerala. He became Governor of Jharkhand in February 2023 and was later appointed as the Governor of Maharashtra in July 2024. During this tenure, he also held additional charges as the Governor of Telangana and the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, showcasing his ability to manage multiple state administrations effectively.
Beyond politics, Radhakrishnan has nurtured a strong interest in sports. During his college years, he excelled in table tennis and long-distance running, while also playing cricket and volleyball. His passion for discipline and sportsmanship has often been reflected in his political style and approach to governance. With support pouring in from NDA allies and even acknowledgments from opposition leaders about his non-controversial personality, CP Radhakrishnan emerges as a strong contender to succeed Jagdeep Dhankhar. The Vice Presidential election is scheduled for September 9, 2025, and Radhakrishnan’s long service in politics, administration, and community initiatives positions him as a seasoned leader for the role.
