Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan To Be NDA’s Vice Presidential Candidate, Confirms JP Nadda

Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan has been chosen as the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential election, BJP national president and Union Minister JP Nadda announced.

The decision was approved during an NDA leadership meeting in Parliament on August 7, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and JP Nadda were authorized to make the final choice on behalf of all alliance partners. The BJP parliamentary board-which includes PM Modi, Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Home Minister Amit Shah-will now give the formal nod to the selected candidate.

The Vice President's office became vacant following Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden resignation due to health reasons. In response, the Election Commission has scheduled the Vice Presidential polls for September 9, with the nomination window open from August 7 to August 21. Members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will vote to elect India's second-highest constitutional office bearer.

Ahead of the elections, the BJP is holding a special workshop for its MPs from September 6 to 9, including mock voting exercises to ensure full participation and error-free balloting. NDA MPs are expected to attend similar sessions, underscoring the alliance's focused strategy for victory.

The Vice President of India occupies a position of significant constitutional importance, acting as the country's second-highest officeholder and serving as the de facto chairman of the Rajya Sabha, giving the role substantial legislative authority.