10 Things to Know About NDA’s Vice Presidential Candidate CP Radhakrishnan

Shri Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan assumed office as Maharashtra Governor on July 31, 2024, bringing with him a long and distinguished political career. He previously served two terms as a Coimbatore MP and was also the president of the Tamil Nadu BJP.

The vice-presidential post fell vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21, citing health reasons. Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan has now been announced as the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election.

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Union Minister and BJP president JP Nadda confirmed the nomination at a press conference, stating, “We want the next Vice President to be elected unanimously. We have reached out to opposition leaders.” Here are 10 key facts to know about the NDA’s nominee.

1. C.P. Radhakrishnan, born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Chidambaram College, Coimbatore. He is a sports enthusiast, excelled as a table tennis champion, long-distance runner, and also actively played cricket and volleyball.

2. He began his journey with the RSS at just 16, joining as a swayamsevak. By 1974, he had already risen to become a state executive member of the Bharatiya Janasangh—marking the start of his long association with the Sangh.

3. His political journey spans over four decades. In 1996, he was appointed as the secretary of the BJP in Tamil Nadu. Two years later, he entered Parliament after winning from Coimbatore and was re-elected in 1999. He also served as the president of the Tamil Nadu BJP between 2004 and 2007.

4. As the BJP’s State President in Tamil Nadu, he launched a 93-day Ratha Yatra, covering nearly 19,000 kilometers. Along the way, he raised awareness on key issues like river-linking, the fight against terrorism, the need for a Uniform Civil Code, social justice, and campaigns against drug abuse.

5. In 2016, Shri Radhakrishnan took charge as Chairman of the Coir Board in Kochi, serving for four years. During this time, India’s coir exports hit a record ₹2,532 crore. Later, from 2020 to 2022, he served as the BJP’s All-India in-charge for Kerala.

6. In Parliament, he served as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Textiles. He was also a member of key committees on Public Sector Undertakings, Finance, and the Stock Exchange Scam probe. In 2004, he represented India at the UN General Assembly. He was also part of the first-ever parliamentary delegation to Taiwan.

7. He served as the All-India BJP in-charge for Kerala from 2020 to 2022. This was seen as part of the party’s push to expand its base in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

8. C.P. Radhakrishnan is currently serving as the Governor of Maharashtra, a role he assumed on July 31, 2024. Before this, he was the Governor of Jharkhand from 2023 to 2024. Within just four months of taking charge in Jharkhand, he travelled across all 24 districts of the state, meeting citizens and interacting closely with district officials. During his tenure, he was also given additional responsibilities as the Governor of Telangana and the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

9. The Vice-Presidential post fell vacant when Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21, the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, citing health reasons. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has nominated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election. The election is scheduled to be held on September 9, 2024.

10. Janaki Ammal, his mother, celebrated his nomination by cutting a cake at home. She  also shared the story behind his name with party workers. She said, “When my son was born, we prayed that he would be like former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and named him after him. Today, that wish has come true with his Vice-Presidential nomination.” [Rh/VP]

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