VP polls: Indian bloc unlikely to support Radhakrishnan on RSS connection, could nominate apolitical candidate

The INDIA bloc is expected to choose its vice-presidential candidate at a meeting of senior opposition leaders on Monday evening (August 18). The meeting will take place a day after the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced Maharashtra Governor Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the post of vice president.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the opposition for the unanimous election of Radhakrishnan as vice president. He introduced Radhakrishnan to NDA MPs at a meeting.

Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had called Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to seek support for Radhakrishnan’s candidature. The Rajya Sabha MP said the INDIAN Bloc was yet to decide on the candidate.

The opposition has reportedly denied supporting Radhakrishnan due to his links with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore told ANI, “Indian alliance leaders will meet and decide on our stand and the candidate. We all know that CP Radhakrishnan has a background in RSS and he wears this RSS badge proudly. He was a Member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu and President of the Tamil Nadu BJP. Therefore, he has associations with Tamil Nadu and he is the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Maharashtra, but its RSS links cannot be forgotten.”

Radhakrishnan hails from Tamil Nadu, which goes to polls in 2026.

The vice-presidential election, necessitated by the sudden resignation of incumbent President Jagdeep Dhankhar last month, is scheduled for September 9. The deadline to submit the application is August 21.

NDA allies JD(U) supremo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief and Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan have extended their parties’ support to Radhakrishnan.

Radhakrishnan (67) is an OBC leader and two-time former Lok Sabha member from Coimbatore.

In his reaction, Modi said on X, “Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji stood out for his dedication, humility and intellect. Throughout the various positions he has held, he has always focused on community service and empowering the marginalized. He has done extensive work at the grassroots level in Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that Radhakrishnan will be an inspirational Vice President, who is the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and will play a crucial role in driving the government’s agenda in Parliament.

Radhakrishnan belongs to the influential Gounder caste, an OBC community, in Tamil Nadu. His elevation will also strengthen the BJP’s counter-offensive against the Congress and its allies’ stance in wooing OBCs ahead of the Bihar elections due later this year.

Radhakrishnan served as governor of Jharkhand in 2023 and then moved to Maharashtra in July 2024.

How numbers are stacked

In vice-presidential elections, deputies from both chambers vote by “secret ballot” and according to a system of proportional representation using the single transferable vote.

The NDA enjoys the support of at least 422 members in a constituency of 781 MPs, making Radhakrishnan’s victory certain. The majority score is 391.