BJP names Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as NDA VP candidate

The Bharatiya Janata Party named Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the Vice President, a decision announced at a BJP Parliamentary Board meeting that included top party leaders and was conducted in the run-up to the September 9 election. The NDA’s pick comes after the resignation of the current vice president, Jagdeep Dhankhar, in July, and as nomination proceedings begin with the Election Commission setting August 22 as the last date for filings and September 9 as the voting date.

CP Radhakrishnan, 68, has spent decades within the BJP’s orbit and the RSS, building a profile as a regional leader with national exposure. Born in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, he rose through the party ranks to serve as the Tamil Nadu BJP president from 2004 to 2007, and later held multiple gubernatorial assignments, including Jharkhand from 2023 to 2024 before taking charge in Maharashtra on July 31, 2024. In addition to his gubernatorial duties, he has held charges as the governor of Telangana and as the lieutenant governor of Puducherry, reflecting a long record of administrative experience beyond the typical political career arc.

Radhakrishnan’s political biography also includes...