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The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday, August 17, announced its decision to nominate Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its Vice-Presidential candidate, following the abrupt exit of Jagdeep Dhankhar.
TNM had earlier reported in PowerTrip that Radhakrishnan was being considered for the post in view of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2026.
Born in 1957 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His early association with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in the 1970s laid the foundation for a long political career.
He served as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president between 2004 and 2007, and twice represented Coimbatore in the Lok Sabha, winning in 1998 and 1999. In 2016, he was appointed chairman of the Coir Board in Kochi, and later became the BJP’s national in-charge for Kerala. His Constitutional responsibilities began in 2023 when he was appointed the Governor of Jharkhand. He also briefly held additional charge of Telangana and Puducherry before being moved to Maharashtra in 2024.
Endorsing his candidature, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Radhakrishnan as a leader who combined “dedication, humility and intellect” with an unbroken commitment to grassroots empowerment.
“Mr. C.P. Radhakrishnan has distinguished himself in public life for a long time through his dedication, humility, and intellectual ability. During the various positions he has held, he has always focused on social service and empowering marginalized communities. He has undertaken extensive work at the grassroots level in Tamil Nadu. I am delighted that the National Democratic Alliance family has decided to nominate him as our candidate for the Vice President of the Republic,” the Prime Minister wrote.
BJP leaders believe his elevation will also strengthen the party’s positioning in Tamil Nadu, where he belongs to the influential Gounder community, an OBC group with significant electoral weight.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the announcement, calling Radhakrishnan a “senior statesman who has long served the nation with distinction.” He added that the TDP “warmly welcomes his nomination and extends full support.” TDP is part of the NDA.
In a series of posts on X, Radhakrishnan said he was “moved and touched beyond words” by the confidence reposed in him by the NDA leadership. “My heartfelt thanks to our beloved People’s leader, our most respected Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji, our most respected Honourable Home Minister Shri @AmitShah Ji, BJP President Shri @JPNadda Ji, parliamentary board members, NDA partners and ministers for choosing me as their Vice-Presidential candidate. I assure you I will work hard for the Nation until my last breath. Jai Hind!” he wrote.
With IANS inputs