The Bhartiya Janata Party has declared NDA’s official candidate today for the post of Vice president. The BJP national president and union minister Jai Prakash Nadda made the announcement at the BJP national headquarter. He declared the name of the Maharashtra governor as the NDA candidate for Vice presidential post which fell vacant after the resignation of the previous president Jagdeep Dhankar citing health reasons. The new presidential candidate and Maharastra governor CP Radhakrishnan, is a strong candidate with a blotless BJP background. He commenced his political career as an (RSS Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) functionary. Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan began his public life as an RSS swayamsevak and rose to become a State Executive Committee member of the Bharatiya Janasangh in 1974.
A two-time Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore (1998 and 1999), Radhakrishnan held key parliamentary roles, including Chairman of the Standing Committee on Textiles and member of committees on PSUs and Finance.
He was part of a parliamentary delegation to the UN General Assembly (2004). In Tamil Nadu, he rose to prominence as the state BJP president (2004–2007), during which he undertook a massive 19,000 k.m., 93-day ‘Ratha Yatra’. C P Radhakrishnan made a mark in public administration. In hindi s significant capacity as the Chairman of the Coir Board (2016–2020), he oversaw record exports worth Rs 2,532 crore. He later served as the BJP’s All India in-charge for Kerala (2020–2022). In 2023, CP Radhakrishnan was appointed as Governor of Jharkhand, where within his first four months, he travelled to all the 24 districts, interacting with citizens and district officials. In July 2024, he took charge as Governor of Maharashtra, and had earlier been accorded additional responsibilities as Governor of Telangana and Lt. Governor of Puducherry.
With over four decades of experience in politics and governance, CP Radhakrishnan is widely seen as a seasoned leader with deep roots in Tamil Nadu’s polity and the BJP’s organisational structure. Prime minister Narendra Modi while lauding his contribution and terming him as an inspiring vice presidential candidate has in a long message on X said :
Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has rich experience as MP and Governor of various states. His Parliamentary interventions were always incisive. During his gubernatorial tenures, he focused on addressing challenges faced by common citizens. These experiences ensured that he has vast knowledge of legislative and Constitutional matters. I am confident he will be an inspiring Vice President.
In his long years in public life, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has distinguished himself with his dedication, humility and intellect. During the various positions he has held, he has always focused on community service and empowering the marginalised. He has done extensive work at the grassroots in Tamil Nadu. I am glad that the NDA family has decided to nominate him as the Vice Presidential candidate of our alliance.
The union home minister Amit Shah has congratulated Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan on his being declared as the NDA candidate saying that his services as the member of parliament and as governor if Maharashtra and other states he contributed his constitutional duties significantly. He said that the wisdom and experience will elevate the prestige of the Upper house and achive new milestones. He expressed his gratitude to prime minister Narendra Modi and all the members of the Parliamentary board for this vital decision wrote Amit Shah on X.
