SRINAGAR: CP Radhakrishnan on Friday took oath as the 15th Vice President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Union ministers and several dignitaries.
The oath-taking ceremony was attended by top leaders, including Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, and Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar. A senior NDA source said the morning of 12 September was chosen for the swearing-in as it was considered an “auspicious” time by a priest.
Radhakrishnan, the NDA nominee, was elected to the post on Tuesday, defeating Opposition candidate and former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy by securing 452 votes against Reddy’s 300. Of 781 MPs, 767 cast their votes, with 752 ballots declared valid. The required majority was 377.
While the NDA had the support of 427 MPs on record, 11 MPs from the YSRCP also backed Radhakrishnan. The NDA candidate eventually polled 14 votes more than expected, fuelling speculation of cross-voting by Opposition members. Thirteen MPs, including seven from the BJD, four from the BRS, one from the SAD and one Independent, abstained from voting.
A veteran BJP leader, Radhakrishnan previously served as Governor of Maharashtra and Jharkhand, besides holding additional charge as Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry in 2024. He has twice been elected to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore and also served as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu State President.
