The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced Maharashtra Governor and senior party leader CP Radhakrishnan as the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential election. The decision was finalised during the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting held in Delhi.

If elected, Radhakrishnan will replace Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned last month citing health reasons. Dhankhar’s sudden decision came as a surprise to many since he had chaired the opening day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session as Rajya Sabha Chairman just before stepping down. His resignation led to questions from the Opposition, with Congress leader Jairam Ramesh saying there may be “more to the story than meets the eye.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan on social media, praising his long years of public service. “In his long years in public life, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has distinguished himself with his dedication, humility, and intellect. He has always worked for the marginalised and contributed greatly at the grassroots in Tamil Nadu,” PM Modi wrote.

Responding to the announcement, Radhakrishnan thanked the Prime Minister for nominating him. “My heartfelt thanks to our beloved People’s leader and Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji for giving me this opportunity to serve the Nation,” he posted.

Several NDA allies have extended their support to Radhakrishnan. Leaders backing him include Chirag Paswan (LJP-Ram Vilas), Jayant Singh (Rashtriya Lok Dal), Pawan Kalyan (Jana Sena Party), N. Chandrababu Naidu (Telugu Desam Party), and Jitan Ram Manjhi (Hindustani Awam Morcha). Even Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, from the Opposition camp, congratulated him, calling him a “non-controversial and experienced leader.”

Radhakrishnan has had a long political journey and held several important roles. He became the Governor of Maharashtra in July 2024. Before that, he served as the Governor of Jharkhand (2023–2024), held additional charge as the Governor of Telangana, and also briefly served as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

The Election Commission has announced that voting for the Vice Presidential election will take place on September 9. Nominations and candidature withdrawals will follow the schedule issued on August 7. With strong backing from the NDA, Radhakrishnan is seen as the frontrunner in the race.