New Delhi, Aug 17: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced Maharashtra Governor Chandrapuram Ponnuswamy Radhakrishnan as the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) candidate for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election. The decision was taken at a meeting of the BJP’s parliamentary board chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, BJP President J.P. Nadda said the party had held consultations with allies and reached out to several opposition parties over the past week. “We hope the Vice President’s election will take place through consensus. Many opposition leaders have said they will decide after our announcement, and we are hopeful of wider support,” Nadda said.
Radhakrishnan, a veteran politician with deep roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is seen as the BJP’s strategic outreach to Tamil Nadu, where Assembly elections are scheduled for 2026. His nomination is being interpreted as part of the NDA’s efforts to strengthen its presence in the southern state.
Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan was associated with the RSS from his teenage years. He went on to serve as BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president from 2004 to 2007, working to expand the party’s influence in the Dravidian political landscape.
He was appointed Governor of Maharashtra on July 31, 2024, after serving as Governor of Jharkhand (Feb 2023–July 2024). During this period, he also held additional charges as Governor of Telangana (March–July 2024) and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry (March–August 2024).
The BJP’s choice of Radhakrishnan, combining strong organizational experience with administrative exposure, underscores the NDA’s intent to give Tamil Nadu greater representation at the national level and broaden its southern strategy ahead of crucial polls.
