CP Radhakrishnan sworn in as India’s 15th Vice President; PM Modi, Jagdeep Dhankhar present

Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice-President of India at a formal ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday, September 12 morning. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Radhakrishnan at 10:10 am in English.

The oath-taking ceremony was attended by a host of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former vice-presidents Jagdeep Dhankhar and M. Venkaiah Naidu, former president Ram Nath Kovind, and senior Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Nitin Gadkari.

A 67-year-old veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Tamil Nadu with long-standing ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Radhakrishnan secured a decisive victory in the vice-presidential election. He garnered 452 votes, defeating Opposition INDIA bloc’s nominee, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy, who received 300 votes.

Radhakrishnan’s win was widely anticipated, given the numerical strength of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which commands 427 MPs. The alliance also received support from the YSR Congress Party’s 11 MPs and several smaller parties, ensuring a comfortable margin beyond the halfway mark of 377. Reports also suggested instances of cross-voting in his favour.

The election followed the sudden resignation of Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, citing health concerns. Ahead of assuming his new office, Radhakrishnan resigned as Governor of Maharashtra on Thursday. President Murmu has given Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat additional charge of Maharashtra until a new appointment is made.

Radhakrishnan, a two-time Member of Parliament from Coimbatore and former BJP Tamil Nadu chief, began his political journey with the Jana Sangh before transitioning into the BJP, where he built a career spanning several decades.