Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, the NDA’s nominee, has been elected as the new Vice President of India, succeeding Jagdeep Dhankhar. The 68-year-old leader secured 452 first preference votes, defeating Opposition-backed retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, who polled 300 first preference votes.
According to Returning Officer PV Modi, a total of 754 votes were cast in the election, out of which 15 were declared invalid.
Radhakrishnan won by a margin of 150 votes, one of the lowest in Vice Presidential election history. In contrast, in 2022, Jagdeep Dhankhar had defeated Opposition candidate Margaret Alva by the largest margin in the last six Vice Presidential polls, winning 528 votes against her 182.
Cross-Voting Benefits NDA Candidate
The results indicated significant cross-voting in favour of the NDA. The NDA bloc, along with the YSR Congress Party, had a combined strength of 438 votes, but Radhakrishnan received 452, showing at least 14 additional votes.
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Meanwhile, the Opposition candidate trailed despite claims of unity. While Congress had asserted the backing of 315 MPs, Justice Reddy ended up with only 300 votes. The invalidation of 15 votes has also raised questions about the Opposition’s tally.
Congress Reaction
Reacting to the results, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge congratulated Radhakrishnan but emphasised the responsibilities of the office. On X, he posted: “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.”
He further added, “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.”
